Curiosity Killed The Cat
by cjfreeman
Summary: Misto finds himself captivated with the only other cat he's ever seen to have abilities like his and desperately wants to know more despite harrowing tales of what a danger he is and a secret scar he left on the tribe's history. Rating soon to become 'M'.
1. Captivation

**Hello again, everyone!**

**Once again the time has come for me to begin another story and I've been planning this one for months now so I'm hoping it's gonna be good. I'm quite excited for it myself actually so I hope I can live up to my own expectations. It's a strange process really when you plan something thoroughly in your head but then actually come to put it down on paper. It's always different and you wonder how what you've written seems to be nothing at all like what you dreamt up. Even so, I'm gonna do my best. **

**So, first of all I'd better clarify a few relationships since we all need to be on the same page. To be honest things will become clearer as the story goes on but the only thing I feel I really ought to point out is that Macavity and Misto are definitely not father and son in this story.**

**Anyway, enough waffle. Let's get down to business…(to defeat the huns! Lol, couldn't resist!)**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 1**

**Captivation**

A very old, shaggy but kind-looking tomcat finally allowed his aged arms to fall back down to his sides after having held them up in the air gesturing towards the heavens. He took a few deep, weary breaths of relief as he felt blood begin to circulate around them once again and brought his eyes down to see his tribe mimic his actions in their own ways. A warm smile graced his old, withered face that bore the wrinkles and weathering of the innumerable years of his life as he heard the plethora of mixed voices fill the air as they each told of their joy of a successful night. His smile outwardly displayed the exhausted but satisfied feeling within him that every one of the cats before him also seemed to have which showed that once again another Jellicle Ball had drawn to a close. The old tom felt a creak in his neck as he looked around at the large group of tired felines and chuckled partly for the realisation that yet another year had come and gone so quickly and partly for the sight of a small gaggle of kittens a short distance from where he stood that seemed to be falling asleep where they stood.

It was at that moment that he decided to hold off in addressing his tribe and simply took a moment to look around at all of them and allow the great feeling of pride he felt swell within him. Every one of the cats that stood below him from his point of view on top of a large, discarded tyre which sat at the edge of a large clearing in the middle of their junkyard home was so unique and wonderful in their own right and the fact that they comprised such a diverse and fascinating group of beings gave the old tom – their leader – a huge sense of accomplishment. Even though he knew it was far from true that he was responsible for all of their interesting characteristics and personalities he nonetheless was happy that he had guided them all through the years and seen them all grow and explore life in their own ways. He had lived a long time and he felt truly blessed to have done so whilst playing leader to such an inspiring group of cats.

The old tom was nearly lost to his own thoughts – a fairly common occurrence with him – as he viewed his tribe before a magnificent-looking, much younger yet still wise tom spoke to him,

"Dad?" the tom asked in his beautifully eloquent voice that bore the testament of a long, physically demanding night. The word snapped the old tom out of his musings and made him blink under heavy eyelids as he looked down to the silver tabby. "Are you alright?" the younger tom continued.

"Yes. Do excuse me, I rather think all of the excitement has drained me" he replied before politely shielding a yawn.

"Well, congratulations on a successful ball" said the younger tom putting on a smile and trying to hide his own weariness.

"And the same to you. Your leadership was top notch as always"

"Thank you, sir"

"You're welcome, but please do not call me that, Munkustrap. You know how I dislike it"

"Sorry, Dad"

"That's better"

The silver tabby held his paw up to his father and the old tom responded in kind allowing them to graze against each other briefly in respect. It was a common gesture amongst Jellicle cats – the proper word for them – but it seemed to have a much greater significance on such a night. The Jellicle Ball was the one night of the year they gathered to celebrate being Jellicles and the instilment of pride that came with it touched deeply in every one of the cats present.

The two toms – father and son – looked out at the tribe they respectively lead and protected and watched them as they all went around congratulating each other and offering compliments to those who had outdone themselves that evening. It was always the way of the ball such that different tribe members would nominate themselves for ascension to the Heaviside layer – the realm of the Everlasting Cat and the opportunity to begin a new life as a Jellicle – and it was always their mission to try and impress Old Deuteronomy – the old tom that watched them now – enough so that they might be chosen to do so. Many had tried but only one had succeeded despite being a cat none of them had seen in a while. Grizabella was her name and her appearance was both surprising and not entirely welcome. She had disappeared years beforehand to pursue a more glamorous life – in her eyes at least and much to the expense of her family's welfare - and had chosen this night of all nights to try and regain acceptance. Clearly she had succeeded yet there would certainly be quiet murmurs the next day over whether they considered her deserving of such an honour. Even so, those who had not won their chance to go to the Heaviside layer were still warmly commended for their efforts and given many a backslap and 'Very well done!'

It seemed though that none of the Jellicles was more congratulated than one very particular tom who stood at the opposite side of the clearing trying to keep a cool demeanour and prevent his excited pride from bursting out. He was a young tom not too long out of kittenhood but very grownup for his age. He had the most ornate tuxedo pattern in his fur with jet-black contrasting against snowy white and he was the cleverest cat many had ever known. However, the way he maintained such an air of mystery about himself was what made those around him most interested in him. He had always been admired for being clever and this was thanks in some part to a certain mystical ability which he had been born with that wowed more cats than he had ever thought to count. This endearing feature was his ability to practice magic and although he had not entirely come to terms with the extent of his abilities yet he was nonetheless becoming more proficient in his art by the day and had already earned himself the title of 'The Magical Mister Mistoffelees'.

"I'm sure he's dying to let that façade down and show how pleased with himself he really is," said Munkustrap to his father as he watched the gaggle of Jellicles encircle the tux.

"I reckon you're right," replied the old tom, "but that's not his way. "I don't suppose we'll ever again see him behaving as kittenishly as he used to. At least, you and I won't. Perhaps only with those closest to him will he behave in such a manner"

"Well, I thought he certainly seemed to let some of the old Misto shine through this evening. Especially after rescuing you"

Old Deuteronomy just smiled and nodded gently. It was then that Munk got his chance to question his father on his kidnapping that night – an occurrence none of them had expected at all to happen and even less to be resolved in such a way by Mistoffelees. That was the reason the tux was so pleased with himself and really wanted to express his joy over having managed to accomplish such a feat of magic.

"Speaking of which," began Munk in his query, "are you okay after all of that? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Who?" said Old Deuteronomy airily pretending that he didn't know what his son was getting at.

"Macavity. When he kidnapped you."

"No, no, of course not. It was quite an experience though"

"What exactly happened?" asked Munk feeling a pang of shame at not having been able to keep his father from falling prey to the fiend's plan to disrupt their celebrations.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. It all happened so fast," said the old tom wearily. "He barely said a thing the entire time he had me. I tried to speak with him but he wouldn't even look me in the eye so I'm sure he didn't feel very good about what he was doing"

"You think he felt bad for doing it?"

"I couldn't say. It came as such a surprise but I suppose it shouldn't have done. You remember well that it wasn't the first time he's done something like that"

"I know," said Munk with a slight graveness in his voice and feeling a little bubble of anger well up inside him. That bubble managed to find its way to his face and manifest itself there shortly after he spoke in only the slightest hint of fury. It was enough for Old Deuteronomy to notice though, after all he knew his son better probably than the tabby knew himself.

"There's no need to get angry about it, Munkustrap. I'm fine"

"I know" said the tabby again, "It's just…I hate him…for what he did"

Old Deuteronomy reached out to him and placed a paw on his shoulder making him look up to him from where he stood.

"You're not talking about what happened tonight, are you?"

The tabby shook his head with the slightest exhibition of shame before replying in a low, almost growl,

"No"

"Now, son, you know we don't speak of that anymore. Besides, it's just his way. He'll always do the things he does because he's angry that life has turned out in such a way for him. I wish so deeply that none of it had ever happened but what he did cannot be taken back and as much as it pains me he has to be kept away from us"

Munkustrap simply flicked his eyes downwards,

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep you from harm"

Old Deuteronomy just squeezed his shoulder slightly and smiled,

"I don't think I was ever in harm's way. He wouldn't hurt his own father regardless of how he feels."

"How can you tell?"

"He's my son as much as you are. I raised him and I know that in his heart he'd never go so far as to hurt me"

"How can you be sure though?"

Old Deuteronomy shrugged,

"I just know"

"He wouldn't stop at hurting me though"

The comment made the old tom frown slightly,

"Did he?"

"Yes," said Munk as he turned slightly and stood up straight so as to give his father a clear look at the marks the dangerous cat had given him not an hour ago.

"Oh my. Are you alright?"

"Fine. I'm just angry that he did it"

"Well, son, you're his biggest obstacle in causing mayhem amongst this tribe and that's probably why he feels that if he wants to succeed then he needs to incapacitate you to some degree"

"He's just a coward. I wish he was dead," said Munk spitefully making his father wince inwardly at the harsh words.

"Munkustrap, you shouldn't wish that on anyone. Least of all your brother"

The silver tabby scowled lightly,

"I don't care. He's evil and I hate him for everything that he stands for"

"You know, you two used to be good friends when you were kittens"

"But that changed, didn't it?" said Munk with the same graveness as before and with eyes that reminded the old tom of what a horrible stain what Macavity did in the past left on their tribe's history.

Old Deuteronomy paused and then sighed before carrying on,

"I suppose so…"

There was another pause between them before he spoke again,

"Let's not speak of him anymore. He's already attempted to ruin our night and failed so lets not let him do so in our memories of him"

"Good idea" said Munk more happily.

As if on cue, it was at that moment that a great swarm of Jellicles approached the place at which they were standing and began fussing over their leader. Their first thoughts had been to pour out their appreciation for Mistoffelees but it hadn't taken them long to realise who really needed their attention. Instantly the old tom was inundated with cats asking if he was alright and whether Macavity had hurt him at all. Munk watched as he tried to happily reassure them that he was fine and smiled when his efforts seemed to be in vain.

Turning away he looked out across the clearing to where Mistoffelees had been a moment ago and saw that he was still there and standing alone now whilst watching the rest of the Jellicles fuss over their leader. Munk decided to take the opportunity and started towards him with a noticeably lethargic characteristic to his stride. He could see the small, black and white tom notice him coming towards him and was glad to see his cool exterior soften a little as he approached. In the last few steps Munk took he saw a smile begin to develop on the tux's face and rejoiced internally over being the one that actually managed to break down his wall of cool-headed bravado.

"Here he is, the tom of the hour," said Munk heartily as he reached his paw towards Mistoffelees. The younger tom responded to his gesture in kind and soon cracked his lips into to show a grin that he was so clearly barely containing.

"It was nothing," he said as he tried to stifle a small chuckle of excitement.

"You rescued our leader. I certainly wouldn't say that was nothing, Misto"

The tux chuffed,

"Well, one must do one's duty"

"Well, I think you exceeded yourself tonight" said Munk as he clapped a paw on Misto's shoulder.

"You did too. You took on that cat all by yourself"

Munk flicked his eyes from side to side before quietly saying,

"Well, I wasn't entirely successful. He's a dangerous cat and when he uses some of his more…mystical abilities he's certainly a force to be reckoned with"

Misto paused and looked at Munk curiously,

"Mystical?" he asked. He'd never heard of any other cat besides himself having abilities that might be considered 'mystical'.

"Just some hocus pocus he can do. Never mind" said Munk without noticing the smaller tom's intrigue.

"But what do you-"

Misto was cut off by the sound of Old Deuteronomy calling for their attention from the tyre he stood on with many a Jellicle scattered around him.

"Jellicle Cats!" he said in his wise but powerful tone, "Congratulations to you all on such a successful ball. Year on year you manage to outdo yourselves and this year was no exception. Well done! However, as always the sunlight is coming to end our celebrations and now that dawn has broken I should also like to wish you all a very well-earned day's rest."

A quiet rumble of murmuring emanated between them all briefly detailing how relieved they were to be able to sleep soon. Old Deuteronomy was not finished though and now that a few moments had gone by he changed his expression to one that was both more serious and firm.

"First, though, I would like to address the one thing that interrupted our celebrations tonight. Many of you know the danger of the cat of whom I speak yet just as many of you do not know the menace that is Macavity."

The mention of the evil tom's name set off even more of a tremor amongst the tribe and it wasn't clear whether it was the result of mainly fear or curiosity. In all likelihood it was probably a fifty-fifty split and Old Deuteronomy knew he needed to set his tribe on the right track.

"Please, everyone, listen. Now, you all saw Macavity, with the help of his henchcats, managed to infiltrate our home and kidnap me. I'm glad to tell you that I am fine but I cannot stress enough the sheer amount of danger his presence brings. As I said, many of you do not know about Macavity and I think perhaps it's best that way. Nonetheless, what you should know is that he is not a safe cat to be associated with and you must be on your guard when he is nearby or else he may very well be your downfall. I doubt he will try to cause any more panic amongst us tonight but I cannot be sure. Macavity by nature is the most deceiving, sly, fearsome cat there is and this is surely complemented by his being one of the cleverest cats around. There is no telling what he may be capable of and that is why he cannot be trusted."

A general agreement amongst the tribe slowly permeated its way through to each of them and to those that it had not already been drummed into the message soon sunk in that Macavity was purely and simply danger. That is, it nearly got around to everyone. Misto, still standing right at the back of the group, was hanging on his leader's every word and while he didn't show it the picture he was painting fascinated him. To Misto, Macavity didn't appear as some fearsome, disgusting, evil cat. He seemed to be so much deeper but the fact that Misto didn't know exactly who this cat was made him ever more curious to find out. He knew he shouldn't have felt the way he did but he so desperately wanted to meet this cat he was being forbidden to meet. What if he were like him like Munk had said? Or at least begun to say that is. That little tip that Macavity might have been in some way mystical grabbed Misto and wouldn't let go and as he continued to listen to his leader warn him against the tom he became more and more intrigued as to who he was.

"Jellicle cats, do not be fooled. Macavity is a master of trickery. He can draw you in like a snake but you can be sure that he will bite when you get too close. He can be charming, he can be inspiring but he is never who he appears to be. His mind is a powerhouse and he will always be three steps ahead of you despite how wary you may try to be. While I do not expect any of you to see him again, at least for a while, I cannot plead strongly enough that you exercise caution for the next day or so. He has been within our junkyard and may still be here and so you must not let down your guard when out on your own. I do not mean to scare you but I cannot advise you strongly enough to be wary"

He paused for a moment and a dead silence was what he received in return. All eyes were upon him and it seemed the ghost Macavity had left in the clearing had sucked the life out of their post-ball euphoria. Even now the words being used to describe him were acting as if he were there in the flesh and sending a shiver through all of them. None though seemed to be at a deeper discomfort than one particular queen. About halfway between where Old Deuteronomy stood at the front of the tribe and where Munk stood at the back was a pretty queen with a black, white and golden coat. Her name was Demeter and she was Munk's mate. She was usually a fairly lively queen with quick whit and a sparkle in her smile but now she was not at all at ease. Unbeknownst to almost all of the tribe members she had a darker history involving the evil tom who was being spoken about at that moment. Every time she was made to think about it a shiver zipped up her spine and even now that he was gone from their midst she was straining not to let her internal feelings show. Fortunately for her it was only Munk whose eye was caught by her mild-on-the-outside manifestation of emotional discomfort and seeing her reactions suddenly made him feel lower too. He was one of the few cats that had been privy to the information concerning his mate's past and he felt so sorry for her for being made to remember. It was the cause of his anger only a few moments ago and he only hated Macavity more for what he'd done to his mate and for every clash they'd had in the past. As well as Demeter he too had a black history concerning his brother and the sheer hatred he felt within was magnificent.

They – the cats who knew – rarely spoke of what Macavity had done yet they all knew in their own ways so very well how terrible a cat he was. A combination of who he was in their minds and his actions manifested both fear and rage amongst them but the magnitude of his actions is what forced them never to speak about it. He was a cat who they did not want the rest of their tribe to remember and that is the reason they only ever spoke about him behind closed doors – figuratively of course.

Misto was not a cat who knew about Macavity. That is to say he knew of his existence but he had no idea of the tom's historic actions that caused his tribe-mates to be so secretly loathing of him. He had never even thought too much about him until now. Now everything was different. He suddenly had so many questions but absolutely no answers. Could it be that this cat was so mysterious that any answer to any question might be correct one minute and wrong the next? Could it be that Macavity had similar powers to his own? Could it be that maybe he wasn't alone in the world in regard to his abilities? Most of all, could it be that he was really as bad as they said? If he really was that clever a cat then surely he had a higher level of thinking similar to him. In that case he can't have been that evil, just smart enough to get his way. Maybe they were all just confused or misinformed. Maybe Macavity wasn't so bad. Maybe he was like him: mysterious and simply misunderstood.

Misto stopped listening for a few moments as Old Deuteronomy reverted back to congratulating them about the ball. He had been captivated now and this new, strange cat that he now knew existed in some way was dancing through his mind – or at least what little he knew about him. It seemed to him that he knew barely anything about the cat he had been told about but the way he grabbed him in his entirety amazed him. How could it be that a cat he knew so little of had managed to grip all of his interest and wouldn't let go? That power was what fascinated Misto more than anything. It seemed to connect with him and for a moment the tux felt something inside that he'd never felt before. It was a strange, bright feeling but at the same time as if it were too big to fit inside his body. It was unmistakeably magical but in so many other ways in addition to the ones he already knew of. For that brief moment his heart beat in time with it and it felt as if that strange, unknown cat he had barely had a glimpse of only an hour or two ago was with him. It didn't feel wrong though, it felt amazing.

"Misto?"

Suddenly he was jolted out of his trance and blinked firmly before shaking his head and focusing on Munk who was looking at him with what seemed like concern.

"Are you alright?" the silver tabby asked

Misto paused for a moment but then opened his mouth to speak,

"Yes…I think so. I was somewhere else…"

"You definitely looked like you were a mile away," said Munk with a little more intrigue in his voice. Misto knew he shouldn't reveal exactly what he was thinking about and did his best to look nonchalant.

"I was just…thinking about what a good ball it was. Everything came together surprisingly well"

"Yes, I suppose you're right bar a few mishaps"

Misto thought about asking him about Macavity for a second but then decided it was probably not wise.

"Yes" he said quietly and simply leaving it there. The silence between them eventually led them to tune back into their leader.

"…and finally, my dear Jennyanydots," said the old tom as he rounded off his list of specific congratulations. "You are an inspiration to us all and we send you our deepest appreciation"

"Thank you my dears," said the tabby queen with a big, kindly smile as the sleepy kittens rubbed against her affectionately where she stood.

"Yes, you've all done well," continued the told tom, "And now, without further ado, I finally bid you all a goodnight and sleep well"

With that the large group of Jellicles began to disperse and Old Deuteronomy began to climb down from the big tyre. Munk would have jumped forward to help him but at the moment there was someone else who needed his attention. Misto watched as he quickly trotted over to his mate and spoke to her quietly. He couldn't be sure but he thought he saw the tabby ask if she were okay and then receive a glum nod in return. What he saw for certain was the two then hug tightly and the strange display confused him. That wasn't the biggest thing on his mind though and had it not been for Old Deuteronomy making his way over he would no doubt have been lost in thoughts about Macavity the Mystery Cat.

As soon as he was close enough Misto bowed to Old Deuteronomy and then rose back up with a smile on his face. The old tom simply smiled back and began to thank him again,

"I don't know how you did it but you have a gift, my boy. Thank you again for rescuing me"

"It was nothing, sir. Anything to keep one of our own safe"

The old tom gained a proud twinkle in his eye,

"You've grown into quite the young tom. Mistoffelees. You must know how proud your father is of you"

"Not really, sir. I don't see him as often as I once did"

"Well, you ought to know that he is. Whenever I see him he always boasts of what a wonder you are as a son"

Misto's rolled his eyes internally. It was nice to know that his dad was proud of him but it surely wouldn't hurt him at all to mention once in a while. Still, Misto knew it was his own doing that he didn't really see his father as much anymore. He was always trying to make him into a proper, upstanding gentletom whenever they spent any length of time together and Misto really didn't want to follow the plan that he was expected to follow. He had grown now and was his own cat; he didn't need his daddy polishing him up anymore.

"That's nice to know, sir."

"Good, good. Well, I think I best be off to bed; this old body isn't nearly as energetic as it used to be"

"Oh, I don't know, sir. I reckon you've got a good few years yet"

"Oh, without question!" said Old Deuteronomy with a chuckle, "It'll be decades before they see the last of me!"

"I'll second that, sir. Goodnight"

"Goodnight, Mistoffelees, and thank you again"

Misto watched as their leader slowly doddered away and only looked back when he had exited from his view. He turned just in time to see Demeter part from Munk and head back towards the den they shared as the silver tabby watched her go. They both had identical expressions on their faces and now that Misto had an extra thought to spare he wondered more why they seemed to be so low after such a wonderful ball. Misto thought about asking but was beaten by Munk who spoke first,

"Off to bed then, Misto?"

The tux thought for a moment and then responded cheerfully,

"Nah. I'm not tired. I think I might practice a few tricks for a while"

"Alright, but try and find somewhere else if you can. I'm sure everyone around here would prefer some silence at least for the next few hours or so"

"Okay" said Misto as he watched his protector follow the same line as his mate. "Goodnight"

"Goodnight" said Munk as he got to his den. It was then that a thought struck him and he turned back, "Oh, and Misto, don't forget what Old Deuteronomy said. Keep your wits about you"

"What for?" he asked curiously not remembering Old Deuteronomy's warnings. Munk narrowed his eyebrows for a moment in confusion but then clarified,

"For Macavity. It's unlikely but he might still be around here somewhere. Just be careful and if you come across him don't wait, just run as fast as you can back here and find me, okay?"

Misto knew he should have felt a little nervous at the warning but he didn't. He felt a little tingle somewhere inside and had to suppress a smile at the prospect of meeting the mystery cat.

"Alright" he said in the end.

With that Munk turned back and disappeared into his den. Misto was left alone in the silence of the empty clearing and took a moment just to look around. Barely twenty minutes ago it had been a buzz of dancing and acrobatics but now it was like nothing had even happened. It was strange to think that their ball was like a ghost that simply appeared and then disappeared in much the same way. Still, he had enjoyed himself and he still felt ever so pleased that he'd managed to perform so amazingly.

Spinning on his heels he sauntered off in the opposite direction and allowed his mind to wander freely. He climbed up over the junk and then simply followed where his paws led him. He had nowhere in mind as a destination but he was simply glad to allow the quiet dawn air wash over him and allow him to wind down.

* * *

Inside his den, Munkustrap closed his eyes and let out a small sigh of relief. He felt so tired and the distinctive ache in his shoulders and creaking in his hips only served to remind him that he was getting older. Thinking back he tried to remember exactly how many Jellicle Balls he'd lived to see now that another one had passed and groaned internally when he couldn't put an exact number on it. It was a good thing that his coat was both silver and intricate so any signs of age were hidden. He most certainly wasn't what he'd call old but he knew that he wasn't the same spring chicken he used to be.

Opening his eyes again he turned his head to look around his den. Things were in a fair bit of disarray but that was to be expected in the lead up to a ball. Being so crucial to the proceedings meant a lot he had to prepare and there was not a second to be lost on keeping things tidy despite how much he liked things to be in order. Right now he was exhausted and although he wanted everything to be in its proper place he simply couldn't be bothered to do it at that moment. Tomorrow would be fine for that.

Turning his head the other way he looked across to a sight he hoped would be like finding the holy grail: bed. He yearned to throw himself down on the soft cushions it was composed of and simply let himself fall into the deepest sleep imaginable. Truly there was nothing he wanted more at that moment but as he rested his eyes upon the sacred provider of comfort his hopefulness was quickly dashed when he saw the state of his mate who sat at the foot of it.

Demeter was hunched forward slightly and grasped her upper arms tightly with both paws while she looked at the ground with an expression that seemed strangely empty yet sad at the same time. It looked as if she was keeping something stuffed down deep inside of her that desperately wanted to hijack her emotions but she wouldn't let it. Her usual cheery demeanour was missing and she most certainly did not fit the cat she usually was known as.

Munk knew at first glance exactly what the problem was and he too was instantly plunged into the same feeling of depression. He knew all too well from the stories and observations of her past with Macavity and to see the effect it still had on her it made him want to fume. Fortunately for him he was too tired to attempt too much anger and in the end it manifested as simple grief. He wished he could help his mate forget but he knew the mental scars would never go away. That was why he hated Macavity; for leaving such a terrible imprint on the cat he loved more than anything else in the world. In his mind there was no greater evil and he loathed his brother from the messy, fiery fur on the outside to the cold, black heart on the inside.

Slowly the silver tabby stepped forward and sat down next to his mate on the edge of the bed they shared. He looked at her sorrowfully and was made even more so when she didn't look up at him. She continued to look down and noticeably fought with the emotions that wanted to escape from within. Carefully Munk placed one arm around her shoulders and another one around her front before gently pulling her close to him. This time her rigid frame softened a little and she let herself mould to the shape of her tom. He placed a soft kiss on her head as it rested in the crook of his neck and held her for a few moments before saying anything.

"Are you okay?"

The black and gold queen took an audible breath before quietly replying in a strained, tired voice,

"Why did he have to come?"

"Because he's a terror that hates all things joyful. He can't stand that we're all happy without him"

"But why tonight? Why did he have to ruin our ball?"

"Well, it's only ruined if we believe it was ruined. I'll bet that's what he wants so we have to try and believe that it was a success. I think it was, don't you?"

The queen was silent for a moment before replying deeply,

"Not for me. Just to see him again…it brought it all back. And then when he tried to kidnap me too…I was terrified"

Munk felt a tightness within as he listened to the hurt and fear in her voice and he pulled her closer to try and show her that he was there for her.

"Don't let it consume you, dear. Try to forget he ever came"

"I'll try…but it really shook me up…and the memories from all those years ago…they won't go away…"

Munk sighed,

"I know…"

A moment later she said one last thing,

"Thank you for saving me from him…again"

"I'll never let him hurt you a second time…I promise"

The two stayed there for a while without moving. They both needed the comfort and they knew there was no one else that could help either of them through the pain of the past than one another.

* * *

Outside the dawn was beginning to bathe the junkyard in an eerie deep blue light that would soon become brighter and turn to radiant pinks and oranges on the horizon. As the day was waiting to begin just over the crest of the earth, the Jellicles were just going to bed and getting ready to hide away for the day. Down from Munk and Demeter's den, across the clearing and up over the junk at the other side began a series of trails that run through the junkyard leading to its many different areas. Many of them led to nowhere in particular and when they reached that ambiguous location they often branched of into further obscure paths. Following along one of them which presented no particular features to separate it from any others nearby it was almost as if the light was left behind and down here, amongst the deepest recesses of the junkyard, the morning was not quite reaching. Moving along this trail the dimness seemed to get even greater and was accompanied by an eerie coolness that would have made the fur stand up on the back of many Jellicles' necks. There was something unsettling about this pathway but somehow it didn't seem to be to do with the pathway itself. Not a sound or movement could be heard or seen along its length and it was very strange for there to be absolutely no activity in any part of the Jellicles' home.

Moving further along the pathway the feeling of danger still would have gripped any unfortunate wanderer and it wasn't until a small enclave at the side of the trail was happened upon that that danger could be truly realised.

All cats were warned of the dangers in life right from when they were kittens. It was only common sense to teach them how to look out for themselves in such a place as a junkyard. There was no knowing exactly what might be lurking out there and despite being safe on the whole it was always wise to be wary – especially in areas which were far from any major hives of feline activity. There was one particular danger that was warned against above all others though and that in most of the Jellicles' minds posed the greatest threat. The exact reasons for which were closely guarded secrets amongst the older generations in an attempt to eliminate any memory of them from their tribe's history. This did not mean, however, that the right warnings weren't given in the right places. Whatever the case, this danger was to be avoided at all costs and every cat for miles around was well versed in tales of caution regarding it; or rather he, for the danger was none other than the Napoleon of Crime himself, Macavity.

He was the reason this particular trail posed such a significant threat this morning after the Jellicle Ball. His very presence radiated danger and his mood was most definitely one to stir up more anger within him making him even more frightful. Just to look at him and see his fiery coat with its threatening pattern, his razor-like claws and his menacingly patterned face would have been enough to send any cat running.

Or at least it would have done. The usual mention of the master criminal would automatically stir up feelings of fear and warning but at this particular moment in time they were not particularly well grounded. It was true that Macavity was always a threat but at that moment he certainly wouldn't have been deemed overly dangerous by any cat that would actually take the time to look upon him before running in fear.

At the edge of the trail away from any of the commotion that had been occurring in the other part of the junkyard the usually sinister, strong, ferocious tom sat in a very awkward position trying to deal with the awful, burning sting from the claw marks on his body with particular focus on his abdomen. Blood stained the fur across his stomach and the once great lord of terror now sat cut down on cold junk reeling from the flurry and failure of his plan to destroy the Jellicle Ball and from the wounds he received in his attempt.

He breathed slowly but heavily with a lingering rage still simmering away inside him that seemed to try to burn nearly as much as the cuts under his fur but couldn't quite reach boiling point. He been planning this night for weeks and it had seemed that his explosion of terror that he had attempted to inflict was unbreakable. He hadn't at all anticipated that even the slightest thing would go wrong but instead of making him more angry when he thought about it he was, in the end, left mostly embarrassed – especially when he remembered that he had actually managed to capture their leader – his father.

That in itself had been a fairly awkward moment for him. Beforehand he had been filled with an outright resentment towards him and deep desire to cause mayhem but then when he had him in his clutches it had all changed. Straight away he felt a strange longing that he was not accustomed to – after all he didn't need anyone; he tricked cats into doing his biding, used them and then spat them out, that was his way and always would be. Why, then, had he suddenly felt so embarrassed for doing what he'd done when he was in the presence of the older tom? Was it because he was his father? Was it because he meant something more to him than just any old cat? Was it simply the look in his deep, unfathomable eyes that struck something within him and reduced him to feeling like a kitten that had done something wrong?

With all the mental strength he could muster he cast those thoughts aside and wished he could reach into his mind and tear them out. He was so confused by everything that had happened and he loathed the fact that here he was sitting on the ground and hiding away from those who had put him in that state and not rejoicing in a successful operation. He wished he could have been angrier but he simply couldn't shake the blanket of shame that wrapped itself around him. He'd messed up badly and he knew that it wouldn't be long before word of it spread and cats everywhere would tell tales of clumsy old Macavity that couldn't so much as creep into a junkyard without being seen.

That wasn't him, he was to be feared and he hated the possibility that he might lose even a tiny bit of his reputation. More than that though he was confused and he wished he could put his mind on pause and take a breather for a moment to try and think clearly.

There was one fact, however, that he was quite clear on. There was a reason his plan had failed and had no chance of being salvaged - oh yes. Even if he was put back a few places when he'd tried to capture Demeter he could have picked back up at that point had it not been for one particular little annoyance that foiled him. As he sat there he clenched his teeth and began to direct what remaining brainpower he had left towards the thought of that bastard little magician's cheap trick and it soon followed that the image of the very cat himself danced through his mind. He couldn't believe that of all the cats that might have tried to stop him it was that tiny black and white mongrel that had actually succeeded.

He hated that Mistoffelees. He hated him because he had gotten in his way and he now had to think of new methods in messing with the Jellicles.

'_That's not really true though, is it?' _his mind said back to him, _'You don't hate him, you're impressed by him'._ A few seconds later his hard exterior faltered and he let out a sigh with the tiniest hint of a smile. _'Touché, Mistoffelees' _he then said internally.

Still, he wasn't too fond of the tux. He still felt quite ticked off that he was the reason for his plan not working and after all of the careful planning he'd done. That wasn't the main reason he disliked him though, the main reason was because his mind now took a great interest in him and simply wouldn't let the nag fade away. That power – the unexplainable capture of his mind – was the only power Macavity knew of that could truly overcome him and he did not like Misto for harnessing that despite the tux not even knowing he had done anything. Macavity was simply fascinated and curious – whether he liked it or not – about the potential abilities of this cat. Never before had he known a cat that possessed similar powers to his own and he was annoyed to know that that very cat was a Jellicle. He wanted to know him, to explore his mind and most of all test his power. He desperately wanted to know more about him and that was the reason he started to feel hacked off. How dare he have that effect on him! How dare he indeed!

In a fit of annoyance – much like a spoilt kitten - the fiery red tom lashed his paw out to the side and punched an old paint can that lay next to him leaving it in a horribly dented and crumpled condition after it tumbled to the ground. He was brought back to reality straight away when he felt a stab of pain run from his stomach up to his shoulder and immediately gripped the stinging regions on his person as best he could.

Taking a long, stressful sigh he did his best to calm himself and tried to think clearly. He had to get out of here and get back to his lair, it was the only thing to do now. That, though, was a little more trouble than it seemed and as he attempted to push himself up he only managed to get to his paws before he doubled over in pain and groaned angrily at the offending pangs of discomfort.

Angrily, he gritted his teeth again and forced himself to stand upright whilst trying to ignore the pain from the scratches. He then started to put one paw in front of the other and began to limp back down the trail along which he'd come. He could tell this was not going to be a comfortable journey and he only hoped that none of those blasted Jellicles were out patrolling for him.

As he hobbled and cursed over the restrictions to his movements he thought still about that intriguing tux that wouldn't leave his consciousness. Every step brought new questions about him and he knew that he wasn't going to be easy to forget. Among other things he was his biggest obstacle now and he knew he was going to have to work harder if he wanted to continue to aggravate the tribe that had once cast him out. Aside from that, it was a matter of pride. Nobody got in his way when he had a plan and he couldn't let that bastard Misto get away with it. Somehow, someway he'd cut him down to size.

It wasn't long before he felt strange about using those words in relation to the tux. For some reason - despite all the voices that told him to hate him – he couldn't force himself to follow through with finding real reasons to dislike him. He wanted to but he was simply too fascinated to think otherwise.

'_For crying out loud, what's wrong with me?' _he thought as he hobbled along. He never thought like that and it felt really strange to do so. He'd definitely have to do something big to make himself feel like Macavity again once he had gotten fixed up. '_Maybe I'll rob a bank…'_

* * *

To speak of the devil, the very cat who was the subject of Macavity's ironic distaste was currently trotting along one of the junkyard's many quiet trails completely absorbed in his own thoughts and feeling quite pleased with himself. If a fireball had dropped out of the sky and headed straight for him then he probably wouldn't have seen it since he was totally lost in his own mind with thoughts of the flame-coloured cat that had endeavoured to disrupt them that evening.

Who was he? What was he like? Was he magical as well? These were all questions that swirled around and around in Misto's mind but as he continued in his aimless journey he still found that no answers sprung up in front of him. He had no idea why he was so engrossed with Macavity but he had no spare room in his mind to care. He was fascinated and as the minutes ticked by a pressing desire to meet the dangerous tom crept up and jumped on him without the tux noticing. Perhaps it was his curious mind or mysterious nature that made him want to defy the warnings of doing such a thing and the more he listened to the tales of caution he had heard the more he wanted to discover this Napoleon of Crime.

Still, what were the chances of that happening? After all, there he was on a lonely trail in the junkyard they'd just kicked Macavity out of – or rather sent him running from. As the tales about him told, he was probably a mile away by now and maybe even gone for good. As the words passed through his mind he started to feel a little disappointed at that. He knew it would probably have been a bad idea to try it in the first place but still, it would have been fun.

Shrugging it off he plucked his head out of the clouds and refocused on what he was doing. He needed to find somewhere he could play a few tricks without making too much noise as to arouse suspicion. Looking back at where he'd come from he noticed he'd walked a really long way – much further than he'd thought he might in the first place. He really must have been lost in his own little world for a long time and had it not been for the prominence of the trail amongst the junk he knew he probably would have gotten lost. Then again, one couldn't really get lost in the junkyard. It wasn't so big that jumping up on the nearest junk pile couldn't deliver bearings and Misto thought about doing that before he decided just to carry on and see where it led him. He was always prone to thinking like that. There was something within him that always made him want to pursue the mysterious and try as he might he would never lose it.

With a little spring in his step he began to totter off in the same direction once again and it wasn't long before Macavity once again captivated him and left his mind floating a mile high.

* * *

The injured, evil tom hadn't managed to get too far before he had to stop again and take a breather. Looking down he saw he wasn't bleeding that much but still had a fairly nasty set of claw marks across his stomach. He gently poked at the sorest part and instantly regretted doing it when he felt another serious sting shoot through him. Straight away he felt even more down and out and was incredibly disappointed not only with his failure but also with himself for being such wimp. He wasn't the type to throw in the towel when he got a little scratched up. Such things – he liked to think – only made him stronger and he knew he'd have to put on quite a show when he got back to his lair. While he had a strong following from his henchcats who seemed to have a deep admiration for him he nonetheless tried to look powerful and indestructible in front of them. He didn't really know if they'd see him differently should he show a more sensitive side and he preferred to eliminate the chance altogether by looking tough in front of everyone. For that matter, he never even acknowledged or even believed that he had a sensitive side. He had never really been in touch with it and he preferred to believe that it didn't exist. What use was sensitivity to a master criminal? Furthermore, what good would it do the reputation he tried to maintain?

As he rested at the side of the trail he sat at the edge of he looked up at the sky in the coolness and silence of the morning air and sighed quietly as he saw the light becoming stronger. Night was a much easier time for him to do his bidding since the cover of darkness always meant he could make an easy escape. Now that the day was arriving he'd have much more trouble keeping out of sight and that certainly put him at a disadvantage.

Heaving his body up once more he steadied himself on his paws, smoothed down his fur as best he could and attempted to carry on. The scratch marks still sung their painful song but in an attempt to reassure himself of his toughness he bit his lip and focused on simply moving forward.

Step after step made him feel all the more triumphant and he happily turned a corner onto a larger trail when he felt he'd gotten up some momentum. Behind him this new trail extended off and eventually curved out his view but it was what was ahead that he was most concentrated on. Off in the distance he could see the junkyard fence and a sneaky smile graced his tired face. Sure, it was a long way off but at least it was in sight. All that mattered now was getting to it, through it and back home so he could go back to the drawing board.

The fiery-coloured tom was so set on his target that he didn't hear the gentle pitter-patter of paws on the trail behind him until they became loud enough to signal that somebody was close by. Instantly he froze and spun his head around to look back fiercely in the direction from which they were coming. He held his breath as he listened intently and surely enough the sound of someone approaching was what he received in return.

'_Oh damn…'_ he thought before flicking his head back and started to desperately look around for somewhere to hide. He was instantly aware that there would be no use in trying to run for it since he'd make such a racket and he knew his scratches probably wouldn't allow him to anyway. Jerking his head back and forth he looked up and down the junk at the sides of the trail for any hint of an escape route but nothing was there. The junk was too high and rickety for him to get up and over it without making a sound and as the approaching paws got closer he began to grow more desperate.

In a split-second decision he quickly focused on the remains of an old ironing board which lay awkwardly at the side of the trail and darted towards it. Very carefully he tucked himself behind it whilst trying to ignore the sting from his abdomen and tried to examine how well he'd hidden himself. In a word it was pitiful and he rolled his eyes at his silly attempt at concealment. He listened out and found the pawfalls were too close now and so he set his sights on trying not to make a sound. If he was found then he knew flight was certainly out of the question and he also knew that he wasn't quite up to fighting at that moment either. He'd have to pray that he wouldn't be happened upon and as such he did his best to still his fervent breathing which seemed to be conspiring with his fast beating heart to make him audible enough to be found.

* * *

He found it strange that he hadn't come to a clearing by now. Usually a quiet, private spot could be found anywhere in the junkyard and Misto was a little confused as to why he hadn't thus far. Then again, he hadn't really been looking properly since he was preoccupied with daydreaming about Macavity. It was only now that he realised how much he had been thinking about the dastardly tom.

He stopped and shook his head. It was time to stop thinking about him despite how difficult that might be because he was never going to meet him. Even if they did meet then he certainly knew it wouldn't be a fine 'howdy do'. It would probably be just as dangerous as the tales about him told and then he'd be in quite a pickle. Then again, how was he to be sure that the things they said about him were true without verifying them for himself? It was only right to consider all points of view before forming an opinion, right?

"Everlasting Cat, stop it Mistoffelees!" he said into the silent morning air. He had to stop going backwards and forwards in these thoughts. He was going in circles and he had to try and put it out of his mind. In all seriousness it was probably a good idea to avoid Macavity at all costs despite how much he wanted to pry further. He'd seen first hand how dangerous he was that very night so why did he need any more confirmation that that?

Shaking his head once more he looked up at the junk that composed the sides of the trail and could see the sunlight beginning to shine on the very tops of the tallest piles. The day was beginning properly and he hadn't played with his magic even a little bit yet. Pretty soon he too would have to retire but he desperately wanted have a little fun before then.

He decided to quicken his pace and find somewhere decent to practice. No more thoughts about Macavity and no more distractions. Back to serious matters and make no mistake.

As he continued to quickly pad along the trail he felt the thoughts of Macavity try to infiltrate his curious mind again but instead of allowing them to consume him he put up the strongest mental block he could muster. 'Not now' he told himself and directed his vision ahead. As he carried on he became so concentrated on fending off those thoughts he once again forgot exactly what it was he was trying to do as well as losing interest in the path in front of him. As a result he motored along without any clear direction and a fairly determined look on his face. As he quickly went around corners he was so engrossed that he didn't even notice a quiet scuffling up ahead and simply carried on in his aimless padding.

It was not until he rounded one more corner that he was suddenly filled with an incredible tingling feeling that rushed through him, took his breath away and made his fur stand on end. It was the same feeling as when he discharged magic and it took him by such surprise that he stopped dead in his tracks with his eyes wide and staring straight ahead.

Now that he was still he noticed how incredibly quiet it was with not even the morning chorus of birdsong to keep him company. The light was still there but for some reason it felt cooler than it had been a minute ago and there was something in the air that felt both wonderful and terrible at the same time. It was the most peculiar feeling he'd ever felt, or at least nearly since he distinctly remembered feeling exactly the same only a few hours ago. It had come as a complete surprise but it felt absolutely amazing and he'd had to hide himself away so he could come to terms with it whilst the chaos of Macavity's presence went on in the clearing. He had watched the dangerous tom fight many of his fellow Jellicles but hadn't, at that time, had the mental drive to jump in and help. He had been captivated by the grace and elegance of the menacing cat's movements even though he was fighting his protector and terrorizing his tribe that same tingle he felt then filled him now.

It was then that his natural feline senses kicked in and suddenly he was put very much on edge. It even crossed over by the slightest bit into fear and straight away he spun on his paws and looked around at the junk that surrounded him. Something was definitely not right and he definitely felt as if he shouldn't have been there. Was it danger? Maybe. All he knew was that his intuition was sounding the alarm and he had to get ready for whatever came his way.

As quietly as he could he swallowed hard and called out into the eerily silent morning air with none of his usual coolness or detached demeanour.

"Hello?" he called meekly as he continued to look around.

Only silence came back at him.

"Is anybody there?" he called again with a slight quiver.

Once more he received only silence in return but that didn't serve to make him feel any more at ease. It was almost as if he was aware of the deep green, staring eyes silently watching him from only a few feet away.

* * *

Macavity was stuck behind his ironing board hiding place. Not physically by any means but by his loss for thought. He had hoped whoever it was might have just carried on their way but, of course, it hadn't been as simple as that. Nor had he quickly managed to adapt to the changes for no sooner had he swivelled his head to see the passing cat he was suddenly awestruck by exactly who it was before him. It was unmistakeably that same cat that had earlier ruined his plan and brought back Old Deuteronomy from where he was holding him. This was the cat that resulted in him being in such a mess and he was quite dumbfounded to see that there he was standing in front of him as if he'd been served up on a platter. This was definitely that same Magical Mister Mistoffelees.

What was he to do? He hadn't planned for this by any means and so many thoughts seemed to fly at him all at once. Voice after voice in his head commanded him to do their bidding but none were stronger than the sultry tones suggesting that this moment was far more an opportunity than it was yet another slip-up. Straight away thoughts of what he could do started flooding into his mind and it seemed a shame to waste the almost too perfect moment. He could pounce on this Mistoffelees without him even knowing he was there and give him a piece of his mind for ruining his plan. Alternatively, he could burst out terrifyingly and frighten the life out of him before sending him running back to his idiot tribe-mates.

That all sounded good to him and he even went so far as letting an evil smile grace his lips for a moment. It seemed too good to be true before he realised that in fact it actually was. Needless to say his scratches were still hurting and despite how tough he tried to make himself believe he was there was no way of ignoring the sting that hung around in his abdomen. Trying anything now would simply add insult to injury of his massive failure of a night and he knew he really couldn't afford to lose any more face.

Besides, he was still interested in this cat. He'd been thinking about him on and off for a while now and he couldn't shake the desire to pick his brain and test his strength. Still, he was annoyed with him and was not happy about his intervention ruining his plan.

It was this logic that soon made him realise as he watched the timid-looking Mistoffelees try to figure out exactly why he felt so strange that he could accomplish a good scare without hurting himself too badly by simply looking terrifying since, above most things, that was what he was really good at.

As he anticipated the spectacular scare he was about to give that dratted tuxedo he had to force a heinous laugh which tried to wriggle its way out of him back down inside. This was going to be good and the mere expectation of causing such a reaction in any cat was enough to make him feel devilish and he loved it. The feeling of being bad he'd come to adore since he realised a long time ago that he was brilliant at causing a riot. The feeling of innate power that was brought with it was heavenly and even now it began to bubble and spit inside him. Perhaps this night wouldn't be a total let down after all.

Carefully and silently the blazingly-patterned tom began to untangle himself from the ball he had screwed himself up into behind the rickety, old ironing board and began to move out onto the trail before getting ready to put on the most menacing look he could muster.

This was going to be fun, he could tell.

* * *

Things definitely didn't feel right; not necessarily bad, just not right. It was as if there was something that he couldn't quite see but he knew was there and unfortunately for Misto the undying curiosity that spurred him on would not let up even for a moment. That strange, magical feeling inside was also hanging around and it seemed to be getting stronger by the moment. It put a small smile on his face as he anticipated finding out what it was but at the same time left him feeling slightly uneasy. He didn't know whether this feeling was danger or interest or anything like that but he did know that he wanted to find out what it was. Surely it couldn't be that bad.

A tiny shuffling behind him made him turn his head quickly with a flicker of glee hoping to happen upon what he had been feeling but was greeted with nothing apart from junk and the trail he had come along. He was sure he'd heard something though and turned the rest of his body to start looking from side to side expectantly. He couldn't wait for his reward now and he felt as if fate were teasing him by not letting him have it.

"Hello?" he called again to the silent surroundings and listened as hard as he could for any sign of a reply or even the breathing of the tiniest mouse.

It then dawned on him and straight away he felt incredibly stupid. With disappointment and humiliation he let his body slump and looked down to the ground with a heavy sigh. All this excitement, all this anticipation over the tiniest feeling of something there and the expectant feeling he received from the tiny scuffle, it was all either a mouse or a rat. They were everywhere in the junkyard, they were their main source of nutrition and one wouldn't have to dig for too long to pluck one out of the junk.

"Oh, Misto…" the tux said to himself as he tried to suck up the stupidity he felt. Had he been daydreaming so much that even now the ordinary goings-on of the junkyard presented themselves to him as an adventure ready to be grabbed by the reins? It seemed to be that way and as he straightened himself back up he shook his head and kicked himself mentally for allowing his imagination to run away with him.

'_You're cleverer than this' _he told himself before turning back around with a disappointed look about him.

He practically leapt out of his fur when he was suddenly confronted with what was there to greet him and jumped back in shock, tripped on some junk that lay scattered on the ground, stumbled backwards a short way before losing his balance and falling whilst flailing his arms wildly and finally landing hard on his behind amongst the junk at one side of the trail. The very second he saw what had frightened him so much his lungs seemed to constrict and the only sound he could manage was a small yet fearful squeak of the first part of his terror's name before he began his erratic fall. The outlandishly comical display elicited a loud, devilish laugh from the heinous cat that caused Misto's fall who now towered over Misto from his position which imposed upon the entire trail and he didn't hesitate in giving a flash of his sharp, gleaming teeth and a piercing, scary stare of his eyes which bore down on the tux like a pickaxe.

For a second or two Misto's mind was locked out to all thought since the sheer impact of Macavity's appearance practically knocked seven bells out of him. When he peered up from the pile of junk he was splayed upon the second look at the fiery tom hit him just as hard as the first only this time allowing him to hold onto some slightly rational brainpower and producing a shocked gurgle instead of a squeak. He couldn't muster a spare thought to step back from himself and consider his reaction but that was because he was quite rightly absolutely petrified; half from fear and half from the sheer surprise of the dangerous tom just appearing out of nowhere. He simply couldn't think about anything else.

Macavity had to control himself and hold back some of the triumphant feeling he felt within. In that simple action he'd won back all the face he'd lost and the pleasure he took from it desperately wanted to explode with joy. He couldn't let up now though, he had to keep up the façade and maybe, just maybe he could squeeze every last drop of enjoyment available from the reaction of this weedy, little cat before him and be able to call the night at least a partial success.

Misto was still in too much of a stupor to do anything sensible - such as getting up and running as fast as his legs would carry him – and he continued to lay there propped up on one elbow looking at the terrifying tom towering over him with both awe and fright. He didn't get as far as his face but he could quite clearly see the gleam from his teeth as he grinned maniacally and the terrible sharpness of his claws. Those were what scared him the most but some of that fear was relieved by his instant fascination with the sheer size of the enormous tom – a fascination which grew as he started to pick out some more interesting features such as his blazing, untameable head fur or huge, powerful muscles.

"Ma-…Ma-…." he began to stutter as he felt his powers of speech return to him. As soon as he realised he couldn't finish the word he quickly bit his lip simply stared back with wide, nervous eyes.

The bigger tom glared down at him with the same grin and couldn't have been more pleased with the way this was going. Misto was almost wetting himself from shock and had been knocked so bandy that he wasn't even trying to make a break for it. The annoying thing, though, was that he wanted more. He craved this very reaction he was able to draw out of cats and something sick inside him fed on it hungrily. He had to get more, he just had to advance on this Mistoffelees.

Feeling cocky, he began to raise his leg to step forward and grab the smaller tom. Unfortunately for him his internal triumph had completely marred the memory of his current injuries and as such he didn't take into consideration the implications of walking. No sooner had he lifted his paw off of the ground did a shock of pain rip from his naval all the way up to his shoulder. It was the worst shock of pain he'd had yet and it came as such a surprise that he instantly lost his menace, cringed and cried out quickly before doubling over and dropping to his knees whilst looking down at the ground and clutching his sore abdomen. Misto took the sudden action as an attack and instantly covered his face and curled up into a ball to try and protect himself. There they stayed for a long time with Macavity panting slowly and wincing as he waited for the pain to fade away and Misto keeping stock still waiting for any kind of contact.

Both cats were still in their respective positions as one cowered whilst waiting for the unthinkable and the other tried not to appear too much of a baby whilst dealing with his pain. Eventually it was Misto who peaked out from behind his paws and looked over at the slumped head of Macavity. Suddenly he felt quite confused and moved his paws even more to get a better look at the tom who he had not one minute ago assumed had been poised to attack him. It seemed strange that the Napoleon of Crime could go from menace to misery in such a foul swoop and he even went so far as blinking and shaking his head to make sure he had the right cat and that it wasn't some kind of trick.

After a few more seconds had gone by the small, black and white tux sat up properly and looked down on the formerly scary cat. It was only then that he actually took the time to take in all of him and it wasn't long before his familiar feeling of wonder once again took hold and one particular words resonated in his mind: 'Wow'. He couldn't see his face but that didn't matter; he was surprisingly handsome from any angle – a characteristic Misto hadn't expected at all – and since they were now closer he could see just how intricate and amazing the dangerous cat's coat was. It was almost hypnotic in its detail and shocking look and after a few moments Misto remembered that the artful fur was covering the living, breathing being he had been startled by only a minute ago. For some reason he didn't look quite so threatening anymore and the fear Misto felt quickly started to seep away. The bigger tom looked as if he was hurt and Misto could see quite clearly he was clutching his stomach. Very tenderly and without forgetting to be cautious he decided to try and make contact – especially now since he felt the quiver in his voice had disappeared.

"Macavity?" he asked very quietly and waited for any kind of response from the cat before him.

At the mere mention of his name Macavity felt even more stupid and embarrassed. He'd gone from one hundred to zero in less than a second and he couldn't believe he'd let it happen again. Moreover he couldn't believe that something that had seemed so easy for him could have failed so spectacularly and most of all he was dumbfounded at what a complete write-off the entire night now was. Everything truly sucked now and he was so embarrassed he just wanted to crawl off into a hole and hide away from the world – a sentiment that only served to make him feel even lower than his current rock bottom. That most definitely was not a way he ever expected himself to feel; he was Macavity, he wasn't supposed to have feelings of self-pity!

Still, what else could he do now? He couldn't run, he couldn't even get up and now the little bastard he'd been scaring was speaking to him without even a hint of fear? It was all wrong and he really didn't want to acknowledge the cat that sat only a few feet away.

"Macavity?" asked Misto with a little more gusto this time.

The red tom exhaled with a strained sound before finally conceding to an angry reply,

"Just get out of here, will you?" he said with a growl.

Misto took another long moment before responding since he once again found himself utterly perplexed with his daydream becoming reality. There Macavity was with all the answers to his questions locked up inside of him in some way and it seemed unreal that his fantasy was just that: real. He felt his excitement begin to bubble up again and even went so far as beginning to smile.

He paused abruptly once more when he refocused on the tom's arm wrapped around his abdomen.

"Are you alright?"

"Did I not just tell you to leave?" said Macavity with even more annoyance which he knew was only there to conceal of his embarrassment.

Misto shut up once again but didn't move from his sitting position. The two just stayed there with the tux watching the bigger tom intently with only the sound of their breathing permeating the air.

Eventually Misto decided to try again,

"What's wrong?"

Macavity huffed,

"You and your blasted questions are what's wrong. Can't you see I'm in no mood to be interrogated, you little swine?"

Misto narrowed his eyebrows slightly,

"I was only asking if you were okay"

"I'll be fine once you leave me alone"

Misto paused again to examine him. The growing light seemed to make his fur become even more vibrant and he began to feel a strange, butterfly-like feeling at the base of his stomach and a slight airy feeling in his head. He didn't understand it and was even more confused when he suddenly felt embarrassed. Nonetheless, he was drawn to this curious cat and the more he seemed to try and push him away the more he was compelled to get closer.

"You look like you could use some help"

Macavity's closed eyes – while still pointed to the ground - shot open and stared down at the earth with disbelief. Was that prissy, little magician being arrogant with him? Was he actually going as far as taking pity and feeling high and mighty? That bastard! How dare he try to be the one in control?

Macavity was angry now and he wasn't about to let Misto get away with it. Injuries or no injuries this cat was going to get a piece of his mind and one way or another he'd knock some sense back into him and make him afraid.

Rearing his head up in the most powerful manner he could manage he set himself to glare fiercely at the tux and got himself ready to administer one hell of a scolding. As he went he took in a deep breath and felt fire begin to move up his throat as he readied himself to bear down on the contemptuous, little runt before him.

With one final swoop he flicked his eyes the rest of the way, opened his mouth and nearly began to shout before he suddenly caught Misto's eyes. Instantly his words caught in his throat and the wind was taken out of him. He widened his eyes in awe and let his mouth drop open slightly in amazement. Suddenly, all of the tension he'd built up in his body from his anger drained away. He never experienced feelings like this, especially not for the reason he was in such a predicament at that moment and that reason, despite how much a right-minded Macavity would deny it, was because Misto – who stared back with a genuine pang of concern – was absolutely and unequivocally the most beautiful cat he'd ever seen.

In the blink of an eye Macavity felt his heart leapt into his throat and he nearly choked on the spectacular sensation he felt rock his body. The pain had all gone away in its place was a world-rocking tingle that quite simply made him forget absolutely everything in the entire world apart from the exquisite tom who sat so gracefully before his very eyes. His delicate features, his impossibly blue eyes, the angelic shape of his mouth which curled so elegantly into the most wonderful of smiles; it all left him completely stupefied with marvel.

In the same way, Misto was totally gobsmacked by Macavity. He'd seen his body, his mane and experienced the aura of power and strength the red cat gave off but none of that compared to the sheer artistry of his face. The pattern, the colour, the neatness and grace of the fur were beyond comprehension and his handsomeness was unlike anything Misto had ever known. He was captivated and simply could not force himself to stop looking into the unthinkably magnificent cat's eyes.

All of this, though, was nowhere nearly as comparable to the sudden energy they both felt inside. Words to describe it simply did not exist and for one brief moment they both felt their hearts beat in time. It was like some divine, mystical connection that lasted only for a second but was more wonderful and more profound than anything either of them had ever felt. It was totally indescribable and was not equalled by anything.

On and on they stared totally captivated by the sight of each other before Macavity realized what he was doing and abruptly looked away hoping the redness appearing in his cheeks wouldn't show through the fur that covered them. Misto looked on but instantly lost his look of awe. He felt happy now and somehow warm and let his happiness shine through on his face. That short moment they'd spent lost in each other was the climax of the tingling he'd felt earlier and he now truly felt that he'd found his reward.

Macavity was not so thrilled and had simply given up trying to regain his honour or even maintain a scary façade. There were no more ropes left to grasp at now and he knew trying would be in vain. With a frustrated sigh he slowly pushed against the ground with his arms and attempted to move onto his paws so he could slink away quietly. He felt horribly conflicted when he realised that as much as he wanted to do that he felt he really didn't want to so he could keep looking at the amazing Misto. The thought both shamed him and congratulated him but it was eventually the former that won over and spurred him onto getting up. He should have known really that such an action was easier said than done for as soon as he tried to rise the pain came back and he once again winced and clutched his stomach whilst stifling a moan.

It was only now that Misto had been given the time to truly take in the magnificence of Macavity that he was able to think of things other than that and as such noticed the not-so-scary-anymore cat's painful grimace. Forgetting everything else including the fiery tom's earlier attempt at making all hell break loose in the junkyard he suddenly felt concerned for him and desperately wanted to help him. He should have known what a dangerous thing his tribe-mates would say that was but he was, of course, Mistoffelees and he never did anything the normal way.

Gingerly he began to extend his paw towards Macavity with a slightly pitying look on his face and just before he touched him spoke softly,

"Let me help you"

Macavity took it as some kind of snide, backward taunting and was in no mood to be treated that way despite feeling so incredibly drawn to him. What was he supposed to do though? He wanted to yell at him but just couldn't and that left him with very few options. Once again he raised his head but his attempt at replying, of course, caught in his throat when he laid eyes on Misto.

"Please" said Misto kindly and this time making Macavity notice the sentiment in his voice, "Maybe I can help"

The red tom very gently raised his head slightly more and flicked his eyes all over the tux looking for any sign of deceit. He took a moment to attempt a glare at him and weigh up his options but it wasn't long before he realised that there really wasn't anything else to lose.

"Don't try anything funny" he said with only the lightest flicker of objection since he was still so engrossed in fascination with him.

Misto was suddenly filled with glee at the prospect of being able to get an even closer look at his current enthrallment and almost jumped over to the bigger tom's side. With a happy smile he stooped his head down to look underneath him since he was on all fours – or rather three with one arm wrapped around his waist - and took a good look at what was there. At first he felt a little giggly at the sight of Macavity's pure, white chest and thought it incredibly cute for a tom of his reputation. Macavity didn't notice the reaction since his gaze was locked on one of Misto's paws which rested on the ground while he looked at him. Even it was beautiful and the angriness and shame towards being examined by a Jellicle magically floated away.

Misto's sentiment of cuteness didn't last long as he moved his eyes down the tom's front and came to the section where reddish brown stains infringed on that whiteness. Most of the blood was dry now and fully set into his fur but he couldn't be sure since the tom's arm was still covering the parts with what he assumed were injuries.

"What happened?" asked Misto lightly.

"All of you are what happened. Don't you remember? You all set on me at once"

Misto thought back and come up with nothing,

"I don't remember"

"Well, I didn't do it to myself" said the red tom with less anger than should have been expected from him. He was still looking at Misto's dainty paw and letting his mind wander to the idea of how wonderful it must have been to hold it – an idea that if he were in the right mind would probably have made him vomit.

"Well, you probably deserved it" replied Misto with a noticeable smugness and reached up to touch the arm which was wrapped around the bigger tom's abdomen. Macavity flinched slightly when he did so and Misto paused for a second or two feeling the same butterflies from before jump around in his tummy. It was fantastically exciting to actually be touching him and he even felt a small swoon as he felt the power of the muscles under his fur.

Very carefully he began to move Macavity's arm away from the bloodier area on his person and made sure to slow down when he felt the bigger tom stiffen up whilst hiding the pain. When it was far enough away he stooped low again and looked at the now uncovered injuries which lay under his fur. They weren't too bad but were deep and jagged enough to cause anyone a fair bit of discomfort. Misto knew he couldn't fix them but he could at least take the pain away for him.

Drawing some magic into his paw he reached out and lightly placed his paw over the scratch marks on Macavity and gently rubbed them making sure not to miss even the tiniest part. Straight away the bigger tom felt the soothing, cool relief of Misto's magic and lost himself in the painless delight he now found himself in. Forgetting himself momentarily, he closed his eyes and revelled in the feeling of painlessness once again and behind his eyelids was greeted with images of the beautiful Misto while he let out soft moans of relief and pleasure. This tux was amazing and he couldn't believe how simply wonderful the things he could do were. Now that the pain had stopped he was able to think on a higher level again and found a new captivation with the magician's abilities. If he could do what he was doing at that moment and was able to make cats appear out of nowhere like he had done earlier then what else was he capable of? He knew he'd love to find out and suddenly found himself delighted that he'd found someone so interesting. He'd never felt so great about any other cat before and he knew there was definitely something special that they shared. It was more than magic, he knew that to be truer than anything else.

Macavity's eyes blasted open in shock at the sound of his own thoughts and instantly bolted his head around to Misto who looked back at him with surprise as he rubbed his now painless stomach. What the hell was happening? This was utterly ludicrous! He was Macavity! Not some lazy, pampered housecat that liked having his tummy tickled! He was the Napoleon of Crime, for crying out loud! How could he have allowed himself to end up in such a position with the supposedly Magical Mister Mistoffelees stroking his belly?

In one quick motion he threw himself back and jumped onto his paws striking Misto in the process and throwing him onto his back with a thud. He felt like himself again now and towered over the seemingly tiny tux who could not have been more confused at what had just happened. Macavity was no stranger to that confusion either and looked down at Misto in disbelief. Over precisely what he didn't know and simply didn't understand his feelings. His mind told him to kick this stupid Jellicle while he was down but his heart begged him to help him back up. What was going on in his mind? How could he have had such a change of heart and over one silly little tuxedo tom? He was so conflicted and he just didn't know what to do.

On he looked breathing heavily and not coming up with any ideas for how to carry on. Misto pulled himself together and stared back up at him whilst giving him a look as if to beg 'Why?' For some unfathomable reason that very look cut through Macavity and only made him feel even more conflicted.

With a frustrated, embarrassed groan the big, red tom took off running towards the junkyard fence and before Misto had time even to turn his head and follow him he was gone. Misto was left alone on that lonely junkyard trail wondering what on earth had just happened and wondered even if he'd done something wrong. He still felt no closer to any answers to the questions that still floated around in his mind and was now left with an utter confusion which he could make neither head nor tail of.

Who was Macavity and why did he still feel so unyieldingly drawn to him? He was simply amazing but the truly bizarre thing about it was he didn't know why.

* * *

Macavity threw himself back against a brick wall and stood there panting heavily after having bolted for the junkyard fence, scaled it as if it were the size of a molehill and then sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him to where he was now.

He couldn't believe what had just happened, he simply could not believe it. Mistoffelees; that smug, high and mighty whelp of a cat! That amazing, wonderful, inspiring, perfect Mistoffelees that had ruined his entire plan to mess with the Jellicles! He had rubbed his stomach to make the pain from injuries go away and the awful thing was that he had liked it – nay, loved it. It had felt so good and he had for some reason felt incredibly close to him. What on earth was going on?

Macavity gripped the fur on his head, closed his eyes and groaned angrily as he tried to make sense of what he'd allowed to happen and the way it had made him feel. He didn't have feelings like he'd had back there; he knew he quite simply didn't have them in him.

So why were they unmistakeably real and still hovering around him making his heart flutter?

"Everlasting Cat!" he desperately said to himself through his pants as he looked up to the sky as if he were in pain again and wished it would all go away. He didn't want to feel like he did, he despised and wished it was gone but at the same time couldn't deny it was one of the best feelings he'd ever had. It was truly magical and despite how much he wanted to tell himself it was a lie he just couldn't. It was amazing and he couldn't get Misto out of his head. He had to see him again, he had to have more of him! But why?

He hated himself for this. He hated the feelings which had this power over him but every time he tried to believe himself the picture of Misto's beautiful, angelic eyes appeared in his mind again and he just couldn't do it. Those were the sweetest, deepest most amazing eyes he'd ever seen and he couldn't get them out of his head.

With another shout of frustration he threw himself away from the wall and took off running again. Within seconds he had disappeared leaving behind a brightening morning with a strange kind of mystery in the air.

**First Chapter done!**

**Yeah, I know, crazy long. If you managed to get this far though I salute you and say well done for sticking it out. Things are gonna get really good, I promise!**

**I should probably tell you that I intend for most if not all of the chapters to be around this length or at lest approaching the ten thousand mark. I've decided that I want to keep the chapters fairly uniform in size and since they'll be longer I'll be able to flesh out storylines properly – or at least I hope I will. Considering this it might take me a couple of weeks to get a chapter up from time to time so don't think I've given up if I take a while to update.**

**Awesome sexy news! Seeing Cats next week! The German touring cast is going to Mannheim and since I'm on this exchange to Frankfurt – the nearest big city – I'll be right there ready to lap it all up!**

**Even more awesome sexy news! It has recently come to my attention that there's talk of a Cats revival in London in 2013/14! Nothing set in stone yet but I hit the ceiling when I found out. Fantastically excited for it to come home to the West End! **

**So, thanks for reading! It's feels great to be back at the writing again and I hope you all enjoy this story. If you managed to get through it then please leave me a review letting me know what you think and whether you like how I've set it up. As I always say: if it sucks, tell me and I'll try and make it better.**

**Thanks again, see you in the next chapter!**


	2. Frustration

**Yay Chapter 2! Twelve thousand words in nine days? Not bad…**

**Omigod! Omigod you guys! Totally saw Cats last Thursday night (21.07.11)! It was totally, fabulously, wonderfully, amazing and totally worthy of the reputation it had to live up to. Everything was just so perfectly done which is even more impressive since it was a touring production and not fixed. I could go on for hours about the specifics but that's not why you're here, lol! I'll just end by saying it was really, really good and if you're in or near Germany any time soon where it's playing then go and see it!**

**By the way, if anyone out there from Norway is reading this, I hope you're dealing with everything okay.**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 2  
**

**Frustration**

A strange array of dirty reds and oranges pierced like swords through the entrance to the small tuxedo tom's den and coloured his usually monochrome fur with the colours of sunset. He looked down with extremely heavy eyes which were sore and red against his striking blue to the patches on his body which were coloured like fire. The bright blotches only served to continue his daylong train of thought which had been persistently on his mind since the same colours of the morning had shone through the air during that short time he'd spent with him. Every little thing reminded him of those moments and the sheer profundity of them. Every feeling had been beyond anything he'd ever felt and despite how much his body had wanted sleep his mind simply wouldn't allow it. All day he'd spent lying on his bed after having almost tearfully walked back from the spot on that trail he'd been thrown to and only realised when he'd crawled into bed how silly it was to be feeing as he did. He knew he had been exhausted and in no fit state to be confronted with such a shocking set of events and that was of course why he was feeling upset.

Still, had he done something wrong to make Macavity react like that? He had been so lost in the moment that he'd barely been paying attention to what it was he was doing. Had he inadvertently done something without realising that might have made Macavity seemingly jump away all of a sudden?

He didn't know. What he did know was that he felt incredibly disappointed for losing his chance to explore the cat he was still so engrossed with and felt quite sad that he'd probably never get the chance again. In a way it didn't seem fair that he'd never be able to know the one cat that might be similar to him; or was he really that similar? That was the thing: he still didn't know. Macavity hadn't done anything that might even suggest he was in some way magical so how could he be sure that it was right to feel the way he did? Then again, there had been that feeling. That wonderful, amazing, beyond all understanding feeling that had given him wings and allowed him to fly through clouds of ecstasy. Did that count? It felt like magic so surely it must, mustn't it?

What if he'd been played though? The tales about Macavity always said he was a monster that was to be feared and shunned fiercely. Could it be that he was such an incredible master of deception and so intelligent that he'd choreographed their entire meeting and led him to believe that there was something deeper between them? It made sense, in fact it made more sense than any other explanation he'd come up with by that point.

It just wasn't true though because he'd seen something purer in the fiery-coloured cat; he was absolutely sure of it. He'd even gone as far as letting Misto lay his paws on his body and feel him so very intimately. He'd felt more than a monster under that fur, he'd felt warmth and strength and power and above all else he had felt a heart. He had most definitely felt a real, beating heart inside the cat they said was a monster and monsters didn't have hearts. Macavity, he had felt, was full of life and he just couldn't be the abomination his reputation said he was. If he had a heart then he must have been able to feel real emotions like other cats. He must have known happiness and pain and Misto was almost sure he'd seen the same wonder he felt within himself reflected in the red tom. If these were all possible then could it possibly be that Macavity might be capable of the greatest of all feelings? Could it possibly be that he could feel love? Maybe. There was definitely more underneath that magnificent fur and Misto had an ever-growing hunger to discover it.

He was so confused; more now than he had been to begin with and had spent the entire day lying there just staring blankly into the air trying to find some clarity. None had come though and now that the sun was going down again he found himself so very tired and so mentally strained that it seemed his mind might snap. His body was stiff and ached from the previous night's workout and he surely agreed with it in that he wanted to obey what was being begged of him and go to sleep. Macavity wouldn't let him do that though, or rather the spectre in his memory that still stared at him with those unfathomable, deep green eyes wouldn't. That image had been firmly imprinted on him and even now it caused a sensation that was steeped in undecipherable wonder and still begged the question: Who was he?

Slowly he began to roll his body over and look away from the sunlight which filtered into his den and after the seconds that seemed to lengthen into an hour passed he finally found himself laying on his other side. There he continued to stare straight-ahead and sighed almost silently to himself as he wallowed in self-pity. He would have carried on doing so for the rest of the evening had he not suddenly been distracted by the empty feeling in his stomach and listened to it growl at him. He looked down as he placed a paw over his belly button and then took a moment to decide whether or not he could be bothered to get up and find some food. He quickly found that he wasn't and simply closed his eyes again without changing his position on his bed.

Things remained silent for a few minutes before he began to hear a distant clattering which began to grow louder. Straight away he let out a pathetic groan since he knew what it was. It was the sound of somebody coming his way and he certainly did not relish the thought of seeing anyone at that moment – least of all a particular cat who it seemed most likely to be.

Instead of getting ready to receive whomever it was he kept his eyes closed and remained on the bed hoping that when they came in they might go away. Silently he listened as the sounds of scuffling at his den's entrance became apparent and made sure not to move a muscle as he heard the unknown cat enter.

"Get up, lazy bones!" came a soft, sweet voice which he hadn't expected and opened his eyes before turning his head around to look at its owner.

"Victoria?" he asked as he laid his tired eyes on his sister who smiled back at him whilst appearing just as bright and breezy as she always did.

"Who were you expecting?" she asked with the same quiet but cheerful tone.

"Tugger" said Misto in a lower voice and flopping down again feeing slightly glad that it wasn't the big, irritating tom he had been expecting. "He usually comes and annoys me around this time"

"Oh, well, sorry to disappoint" said the dazzlingly white queen with another smile and began to walk over to the bed. She was about the same size as Misto and shared the same bright blue eyes and adorable smile which led most cats who hadn't met them before come to the conclusion that they were siblings. She paced over and sat down with the same elegance as he usually did although bearing a distinctly feminine character to the way she did it and turned her body gracefully to look at him.

"Here" she said as she tossed him something wrapped in newspaper that he hadn't noticed she was holding. Misto stared down at it for a moment not knowing what to do due to the lingering confusion in his tortured mind but soon realised he was supposed to unwrap it. He did so to find a couple of dead mice inside and straight away felt his stomach become excited at the prospect of food. Misto simply smiled and looked back at his sister warmly. She was such a good sibling to him and always thought about his needs – such as eating - which he was so prone to forget when he was concentrating on something else. He often felt bad for not returning all the favours she did for him since he was always obsessing over something incredibly complicated but the great thing was she never seemed to mind. She happily went along with it and Misto was always incredibly grateful to her for doing so.

"Thanks" he said before grabbing one of the mice and biting into it with more ferocity than he expected of himself at that moment. He began to quickly devour it while Victoria sat on his bedside and looked around his den.

"Do you ever make a mess in here?" she asked as she scanned the area.

"What do you mean?" muffled Misto through a mouthful of mouse.

"Everything has its place and nothing is out of line. It's not something you expect from a cat like you"

"A cat like me?"

"A clever clogs. Usually when somebody's mind is running at a mile a minute it tends to be reflected in their den"

"You mean smart cats have untidy dens?

"Yep"

"So what's Tugger's excuse?"

Victoria was quiet for a moment as she remembered the total state Tugger's den always seemed to be in. How he ever managed to find his way in and out was a mystery and she could clearly see that what she had said didn't always follow a pattern.

"Alright then, never mind" she said as he turned back to him, "Have you slept much today?

Misto began to tuck into the second mouse before replying but as he swallowed he had to resist his eyelids' desire to close.

"No" he said simply without looking up.

"Not at all?"

"Not a wink"

"How come?"

Misto paused mid-bite with his eyes pointed forward and his mouth stuck open. In his distraction he hadn't been paying attention to what his sister had been saying and was now being questioned on the reason for his lack of rest – a reason he still hadn't come to terms with himself.

Putting the remaining half of the mouse down he made sure not to look his sister in the eye for the totally unfounded fear that in some way she might be able to figure him out. He tried to think quickly for something to tell her but as the seconds ticked by he found the silence between them become more and more conspicuous. Every moment he let pass without saying something was going to make her think something was wrong and he knew how persistent she could be in trying to figure whatever that thing might be once she had decided that there definitely was a problem. Trying his best not to look suspect he racked his brain desperately for anything at all he could tell her as a reason for his lack of sleep.

"How come?" she asked again after he let the gap in their conversation grow too long.

He couldn't avoid her anymore and looked up to meet her eyes awkwardly. He stared at her for another long moment with a look on his face as if he were a kitten that had stolen the fresh cream and even toyed for a moment with the idea of telling her. After all, maybe she'd be able to shed some light on the situation since they were incredibly close and he was absolutely sure that he'd like to offload some of the strain on his mind.

Then again, scratch that. What if she had the same ideas about Macavity as everyone else? He'd never heard her speaking with the same kind of understanding as he had that might make her feel the same way about Macavity – did that mean it didn't exist in her? What if she had let herself become absorbed by all of those stories and believed now that Macavity was purely and simply bad news. Would that mean he might shock her by telling her what had happened that morning? If she knew would she freak out and tell the entire tribe about it and make everyone start fussing over him making sure of his wellbeing?

Once again: he didn't know. What's more he was frustrated again since he had a bunch of question without answers and he was getting sick of them clouding up his mid. Fortunately for him these were questions he could at least get some kind of answer to and let his expression fade into neutrality before responding to his waiting sister.

"I suppose I was just buzzing and couldn't come down from the rush, you know?"

Victoria stared at him confusedly for a moment. That really didn't sound like the Misto she knew.

"I suppose. That's a little unordinary for you, don't you think?"

He feigned a sly smile,

"When have I ever been ordinary?"

"Well, yes, but it seems unordinary even to me and I know you better than anyone"

"Are you sure?" asked Misto raising an eyebrow, "What if I've just let you believe that" he teased

"You haven't. I don't think even you would lie about that little accident you had with Tugger just to lead me down the wrong path"

Misto's eyes went wide and he blushed instantly,

"You swore you'd never bring that up again" he said with embarrassment as his mind flashed back to a point a few months beforehand involving himself, Tugger and a momentary lapse in judgement that resulted in a huge amount of regret and shame – or at least it did for him.

Victoria chuckled playfully at his reaction,

"Well, it seemed to prove a point"

"Yeah, but still, that's not cool!" he said letting his awkward feeling ease up slightly.

"Okay, okay, sorry. But why, then, have you been awake all day? It seems like it's more than a post-ball high"

Misto knew this would happen and he knew he should have just lied in the first place. No way out now though, he'd have to press on and hope he could turn it back around.

"I don't know what to tell you"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes" he lied again

"Is there anything bothering you"

"Not really"

"Not really?"

Now was his chance.

"Well, there might be one thing"

"Then let's hear it" said the white queen expectantly as she brought her legs up to cross them in front of herself on the bed and listened with anticipation.

"Well, okay. Can I ask you something?" he said as he pushed himself up to mirror her position so they were face-to-face.

"Of course you can. It's me"

"Well, last night during the ball, everything was going fine until…Macavity came"

Victoria was quiet for a moment before timidly saying,

"Right…?"

"Well, I was just wondering, I mean, maybe I'm just over-tired and not thinking properly but…do you think he's really as bad as they say? I mean, I know he tried to destroy the ball but do you think, maybe, that he's really that bad?"

Misto stared at his sister with a quiver of hope inside him feeling that maybe she just might say agree with him. After all, she was a smart cat and in some ways thought even more logically than he did. Maybe, just maybe, she'd had similar thoughts and they could talk about the way they felt. It would be so wonderful if they could and Misto hung on the silence between them as he desperately anticipated her reply. He knew that if he could see himself he would have seen a very kittenish twinkle in his eyes as she opened her mouth to reply,

"Yes"

Misto's heart sank like a lead weight as soon as the word graced his ears and he had to force himself not to let it show on his face as she carried on,

"You saw what he did; he snuck in and kidnapped Old Deuteronomy. He didn't just try, he succeeded and then he came back to try and get more of us" she said with a more solemn, slightly worried look about her.

"But don't you think there might be more than what meets the eye?" he said with his last shred of hope hanging on by a thread.

Victoria simply sat there looking at him curiously for a moment trying to figure out what was going on with her brother. She's known for years that there was no point in trying to assign any kind of label to him for his quirkiness and detachment never really provided enough information to indicate his real mood or thoughts. Still, she could clearly see he was hoping for specific answers out of her but she couldn't see why. He was being very peculiar and not in the usual way.

"I don't think so" she said with less worry in her voice, "Didn't you see what he did to Munk and Alonzo and how he went for anyone that was near him? Did you also see how he nearly took Demeter as well? He could have gotten away with her, Misto, and then who's to say he wouldn't have come after the rest of us?"

Misto watched as she looked down and flattened her ears,

"I was really scared he might come after me. I know it sounds big headed but I just thought that if he was in the junkyard then he might have been watching us for a long time before he did anything and would have seen me dancing on my own. I might have been next on the list and…"

She bit her lip momentarily as she tried to find the right words to describe how she felt.

"And?" asked Misto quietly after a moment or two. The white queen looked up to meet his eyes and straight away he could see lingering fear within them.

"…And I was really frightened about what he might do to me. He's a monster, Misto, and he's capable of so much. There's no telling how far he'd go if he did take me away too and…I don't want to think about it"

With that she let her head flop down and she then simply sat there without moving. Misto didn't know how to feel. On the one paw she'd dashed all his hopes of being able to talk to someone about Macavity without the horrible shadow of his reputation clouding their views but on the other seeing his sister so scared struck something within him and all of a sudden he felt compelled to be very defensive and keep her safe despite the lack of a threat. The awful thing was that he knew deep inside that her fears were wrong. He didn't know the reason but somehow he just knew and he wished he could make her see. It was impossible though and he could tell that there was no point in trying. If he even so much as hinted at what had happened on that trail only a few hours before though she'd clearly have a fit and it wouldn't be long before he had Munk interrogating him. That, he was sure, he very much wanted avoid and decided that the secret he held within had to stay there.

Reaching out a paw Misto touched Victoria gently on the knee and waited until she looked up at him again. Trying his best to hide his disappointment he attempted a smile although he could tell it must have looked very strange.

"It's okay, Vicks, he's long gone now. He can't hurt you"

She nodded gently,

"I know. It's just…the thought of him. It makes my skin crawl"

Misto nodded back despite his opposite sentiments and sighed quietly leaving silence between them once again. It took a few seconds but Victoria did eventually regain that uneasy inquisitiveness she'd had a moment beforehand and narrowed her eyebrows slightly as she spoke again,

"Why do you ask?"

'_Oh, bugger'_ thought Misto as he realised the trap he'd led himself into once again, _'For a smart cat you sure can be an idiot!'_

He avoided her gaze for a few seconds before he replied but didn't want to repeat the same muddle as before and make her ask twice.

"I…uh…" he began.

"Yeah?"

"I…umm…"

He then let out the most convincingly exhausted yawn he could manage and blinked at his sister through genuinely tired eyes.

"I'm tired. It must be the lack of rest that's making me ask silly questions. There's no reason I should be bringing Macavity up, I suppose he was just on my mind and he slipped out"

"Are you sure?" she asked him as she thought she detected uncertainty in his voice.

"Yes, of course"

She eyed him up carefully for a moment and made him start to grow nervous over the prospect of being caught but then she simply nodded.

"Well, he's slippery like that. He can even play havoc in your thoughts and that's why he's so dangerous"

'_You might actually be right'_ thought Misto as he considered the words.

"Right" he then said quietly. "Well, uh, would you mind if I tried to get some sleep now? I think maybe I was just hungry but you've sorted that out for now. Thanks again by the way.

"Don't mention it, and okay" said the white queen as she rose up from the bed and padded towards the doorway. Misto watched and saw when she stopped before climbing through. She turned her head back to him one final time and with a voice that almost suggested that she knew what her brother was thinking simply asked,

"Are you sure there's nothing else going on?"

"Yes" said Misto lightly before laying down again so he didn't have to look her in the eye, "Go on. I'll see you later"

"Okay, see you" she said before turning and leaving him on his own.

Once again Misto was in solitude and was left staring up at the ceiling. He felt even worse now than he did before since now he knew that his sister wouldn't even begin to think the way he did. She was very much of the type to listen to the stories about the cat he was so interested in but then again why shouldn't she have been? Macavity had shown a side of himself to their tribe that suggested nothing other than the bad reputation he'd earned and he had, just as she'd said, tried to kidnap more than just their leader. She hadn't met Macavity or seen him up close and he knew she most certainly hadn't felt that same amazing feeling he'd felt by just being near to him. That had been special and he just couldn't believe the stories he'd once been inclined to believe despite whether the rest of his tribe thought otherwise.

Turning onto his side again he closed his tired eyes and lay there waiting for sleep to take him. Macavity still danced through his mind and he was still haunted and thrilled by those wonderful, green eyes. They stared at him and he stared right back at them. How he wished he could go past them and immerse himself in the wonder and mystery that was the Napoleon of Crime himself.

* * *

On a quiet street covered in lengthening shadows, the summer air was cooling as the day came to an end. As the sun began to set human children were called in from their gardens and not a single car passed by leaving the area peaceful and very pleasant with barely a hint of a breeze tickling the leaves on the trees. It was a perfect summer evening and one that deserved to be enjoyed.

Rising up, past the washing lines and second stories to the rooftops the air seemed even quieter. Amongst the chimney tops the same breeze gently blew by and wound its way through the houses on its way over the land. There was not a hint of birdsong up here which brought about an eerie, not quite right feeling to the otherwise idyllic surroundings but it wouldn't have taken too much looking around to see exactly why.

High up, on the tallest chimneypot the silhouette of a cat sitting and staring at the sunset was cast strikingly against the reddening sky. The feline apparition was completely still and any passers-by would surely not have noticed the outline of a magnificent mane that almost shone in the fiery light. The cat had been gazing towards the horizon for hours without so much as a speck of movement whilst locked in deep thought and internal strife.

Since the moment he'd looked into those amazingly blue eyes early that morning Macavity just couldn't get that blasted tom out of his head and had been battling with his own consciousness the entire day for a moment's peace. His mind had won over though and even through the examination and dressing of his wounds by one of his henchcats he hadn't been able to think clearly. He hadn't even been able to properly tell him what had happened and had spent the entire time quietly thinking and only wincing here and there when a sore spot was touched. Misto's magic had lasted a long time and allowed him to run all the way home before it started to wear off and even then what was left had lingered on for quite a while. There was something about it he could feel that told him it was very strong, very well crafted magic and he savoured what little he could still feel whilst trying to forget it at the same time.

Macavity had not known where to begin with all of the thoughts which were flying through his mind. There were so many ways he was being made to feel despite wanting to feel no way at all. Shortly after arriving back at his lair in the attic space of a large, old house he'd tried many things in order to distract himself but none of them had worked. He'd tried sleeping but hadn't been able to nod off, he'd tried eating but hadn't been hungry, he'd tried reading but couldn't even get so far as the end of the first sentence and finally he'd stepped out onto a window ledge, scurried up the drainpipe and positioned himself right at the top of the chimney. It had been quiet up there the entire day and allowed him to be free of any distraction. The only problem was that his mind was clogged with thousands of different thoughts and not one of them was about anything other than that fantastically beautiful cat he'd laid eyes on only hours before.

Everything about Mistoffelees drew him in and Macavity found himself lost as he went deeper into his trains of thought. He went from unbelievable joy to furious despair and back again over and over but as he did so not a single muscle on his face twitched. Everything he felt was explored and played out on the inside and had it not been necessary for staying alive he probably wouldn't have even been breathing. He found himself lost so deep in thought that he completely forgot the world around him apart from the spearing light from the sunset in his eyes that seemed to be just as bright as the blue that had shone out of Misto's. It was almost hypnotic as it slowly drifted down to towards the horizon and Macavity still sat staring with his brow deeply lined with thought – just as the tales about him told.

He was so lost in fact that he didn't even notice the quiet rustle of one of his henchcats ascending the drainpipe just like he had done and pull himself up onto the roof. The small, black tom straightened himself up before brushing himself down and looking up to where his master sat like a statute on the chimney top. Timidly he stepped forward and brought his paw to his mouth to clear his throat and waited expectantly.

Macavity didn't even move his eyes down to see who it was trying to get his attention and simply continued to look straight ahead into the empty air. The small black tom bit his lip as the silence began to make him nervous and he wished he knew what to do. He didn't want to anger his master by interrupting his thoughts but he also didn't want to appear inattentive. He continued to stand there waiting for the fiery red tom above him to reply but once an entire minute had gone by he simply could not handle the tension any more. With a gulp he slowly opened his mouth and formed the word he felt so nervous to say,

"S-Sir?" he stammered quietly whilst flattening his ears against his head as he awaited a terrible scolding for interrupting his master's musings.

Macavity blinked once and audibly breathed in a strained breath before saying in a deep voice,

"There's no need for you to be afraid"

The small henchtom felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders at that moment and had to take care not to breathe a sigh of relief.

"I…I was wondering if you'd care for dinner, sir"

Macavity sighed without looking away from the great orange orb that hung low in the sky.

"No" he said with a distinct lack of emotion and after a few moments added, "Thank you"

"Very good, sir" said the small, jet-black cat before turning abruptly and going back the way he came. He was just about to begin his climb down from the roof before he was stopped,

"Gilbert" called Macavity this time with a suggestion of his tiredness. The black tom was over to him in a flash and ready to undertake whatever command he was given.

"Yes, sir?" he said eagerly

"Bring me some wine, please"

"Of course, sir. Sauvignon Noir?"

"Yes"

"Right away" said the black cat before disappearing once again.

Macavity closed his eyes once his henchcat was gone and breathed a deep sigh. Misto was going to be harder than he imagined to remove from his mind but at least he could give it a go whilst sipping on a good glass of something. He'd forgotten how long it had been since he'd started taking bottles of wine in his heists and developed a taste for it. Being such a master of his trade he was able to acquire some of the finest wines that could be found and had grown to understand how to drink it and appreciate it as well. If someone had suggested the phrase 'connoisseur' to describe him then he probably would have left him or her a bloody mess but in all seriousness that was what he was. He hated allowing those types of labels to be associated with him since they distracted others from the type of figure he wanted them to see him as. He wanted to be feared and steered clear of; after all, how else could he accomplish such feats of crime if he wasn't left alone most of the time?

Then again, Misto didn't seem to be put off by him and that was without even knowing him on a deeper level. There was something so much purer than the superficial things that could be seen on the outside. They had shared a moment of unbridled understanding and amazement that had left him reeling and feeling – for lack of a better word – scared. He hated using that word when thinking of himself but he was, above all things, incredibly clever and was not a stranger to logical thinking. Scared was definitely an appropriate description of the way he had reacted that morning and seemed to fit even better when he considered he had actually run away.

The red tom screwed his eyes shut tighter and brought his paws up to his head before grabbing his mane and groaning grimly. He had done it again: every single thought was winding its way back to Misto and he was so very annoyed by it. Why couldn't he stop thinking about him? Why did he have to be captivated with something so stupid? Misto was a cat, an extraordinary cat but a cat nonetheless. It was true that he knew there was more to know about that perfect little magician and it was true that he wanted nothing more than to find it all out but it all seemed so wrong. He'd never had feelings like this and he didn't want to have them now. Why, oh why, did he have to come into his life? Why did Misto have to show up and knock him head over heels? Why did he have to stare into those gorgeous eyes and loose himself in them whilst letting his heart soar? It all could have very easily been avoided and yet it still happened. He simply couldn't believe this fascination he had and it frustrated him beyond belief that he couldn't shake it off.

This, though, was not the worst part of the ordeal. There was a distinctly different feeling lurking beneath the heated frustration he felt on the surface and it even went as far as paining him to some extent. It was a feeling he'd felt before but had always denied the existence of since it was worse than any physical pain that he could imagine. If he let it overcome him then it would have such an effect that he wouldn't have known how to return to normality and was certain he'd look a fool to both himself and anyone that came across him. The feeling was a terrible feeling and as much as he wanted to deny it he could definitely feel it calling to him from somewhere deep on the inside.

This horrible feeling was loneliness and it tried as hard as it could to open up a space within him and make him feel empty inside. To know that this wonderful cat that seemed so much like him and that he'd most surely shared a connection with wasn't there beside him tugged on his heart and tried to drag it down as it jumped for joy. He fought it as hard as he could and managed to keep it at bay but he couldn't destroy it. He tried not to acknowledge it but it was there and somewhere in the back of his mind he could feel it nagging and it was undeniably hurting. It had been so long since he'd been close to somebody that it seemed almost as if it had never happened and in all truthfulness it never had. Perhaps he'd kidded himself into thinking that maybe he'd known anyone more closely than a good friend in the past but even if it had been real it had all been before the accident.

Macavity paused for a moment and thought about that one quick outburst had changed his life forever and seen him cast out of the tribe he thought loved him so much. That was why he hated them now but also the reason why he occasionally felt alone – regardless of whether he accepted it or not. It was partly the reason why he felt so alone now and to know that the one he wanted to ease that pain was a Jellicle only made it worse. He severely disliked them for what they did to him and it only confused him more to know that he wanted one of them so badly.

He wanted Misto. He needed Misto. He was hungry for Misto.

"Your wine, sir"

Macavity opened his eyes and turned his head to where the voice had come from. He hadn't even noticed Gilbert coming back and he always noticed even the tiniest of sounds. What was happening to him? He was losing himself; or rather he'd already lost himself although he knew exactly where.

He looked down to see the small, black tom holding a silver thimble filled with a luxurious, velvety red liquid and quickly stuck out his paw to receive it. As soon as it made contact he snatched it back and brought it to his lips. The wonderful aroma of the wine lightened his mood briefly and he delicately took a small sip of the wonderful tasting liquid.

'_I wonder if he enjoys wine too' _he thought as he savoured. He opened his eyes and rolled them as he realised what he'd done again and instantly knocked back the entire drink in one gulp.

"More" he said as he stuck the thimble out towards the tom that stood nearby and groaned internally as he anticipated the rough night he had ahead. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon now and he breathed a sigh as he wondered how long it would be before he could have his thoughts back to himself again. For now they belonged to Misto and while that frustrated him he knew in all honesty that he loved it – a sentiment which only served to frustrate him even more and made him want to tear out his mane.

* * *

Macavity waited until the moon had risen and had spent a long time staring at it as he had done with the setting sun. Its ghostly whiteness shone down and bathed the rooftops an eerie white as he sat upon the chimneypot and even then he was still thinking of Misto. The brightness of the moon reminded him of the tux's perfect, white face and he shook his head madly to try and rid himself of the vision. The hours of intense contemplation were getting to him now and he was annoyed that he was still gripped with thoughts of the magician.

Finally pushing himself up, he jumped down onto the roof tiles and made his way down to the gutter. He stood there perching on the edge and looking down to the ground two storeys below him and looked for anything that might be a useful distraction in the garden laid out before him. As usual everything was ornately pruned and kept in line by the human owner of the house who had no idea that the Hidden Paw lived in its roof and as he looked for anything at all that might occupy him he slowly stepped along the gutter balancing effortlessly as if it were as easy as strolling down the road. When he got to the end he reached down to the descending drainpipe and slid down it as quickly as possible to end up on the ground. He looked around warily to make sure he was absolutely alone and then began to step forward to investigate the grassy area. He never usually had the time or the interest to come down here and simply reflect but now seemed a perfect time for some soul searching. Misto still wandered around his consciousness and looked at him in awe and still Macavity wished he would just go away. He almost felt he wanted to yell at the tux for invading his personal space but he knew how ridiculous that was. Every time he saw those bright blue eyes flash through his head he felt an incredible rush through hid body that made his heart quiver and his fur stand on end. Misto was like a drug and with every passing second he craved him more. At the same time though he was made very aware that he wasn't there and it only served to try and make him feel lonely again.

Why though? Why on earth was he that special? These were the questions Macavity had been asking himself the entire day and he still had no real answers apart from one reasonable deduction: He didn't know anything about Misto apart from the fact that he was magic and that he was beautiful. Of course that was what was making him interested, that much was quite clear. The annoying thing was that he was lead straight back to the question of 'Why?' and the endless cycle grated at him worse than anything had before. Why was he interested in him for those reasons? He wasn't some foolish kitten that became completely absorbed with the tiniest interesting features of another cat. He was the complete opposite and yet still, there he was in a cloud of bewilderment and obsession. The firsthand experience of Misto's magic really did wow him and he was both amazed and eager to know more about his abilities. He'd never known a cat to have powers like his own and he desperately wanted to explore it further. More than that though, Misto was so beautiful. He could still see Misto, he could still smell his sweet, mind-blowing scent and he was so focused he could almost taste him which was a very strange sensation. It led him to remember just how delicate and beautiful Misto's mouth was and for one brief moment he felt an incredible desire to kiss those precious lips.

He stopped dead and stared daggers into the air in front of him; that was the last straw and he simply couldn't go any further! These thoughts were getting stranger and more absurd now and who knew where they might go if he allowed them to develop any further. It almost made him feel sick to think that he'd actually imagined kissing the cat he'd looked upon that morning and felt an unimaginable hunger for it deep inside him. The compulsion was so strong it rattled him right down to his core but he wouldn't allow himself to believe it. Maybe he could go as far as imagining what it would be like to talk to him or maybe even allowing him to touch him again but kissing? Definitely not. Absolutely no way in hell would he allow himself to explore that thought and the sheer amount of brainpower it took to block out that wonderful but terrible idea drove him, he was sure, to within inches of passing out.

Shaking his head violently again he took off running towards the garden fence and tore a hole through it as he rampaged on. He was utterly exasperated now and he was so annoyed he almost wanted to bang his head against a brick wall. No more could he allow his thoughts to be kidnapped by that bastard magician and he was dead set on knocking it out of himself.

On he stormed and pretty soon was out of sight leaving behind a distinct air of fury and fear.

For the rest of the night he tore through the area ripping apart clothes hanging on lines and shattering greenhouse glass. As he carried on he came across an uncovered rubbish bin and in his fury leapt up and set the contents ablaze with a huge discharge of energy from his paws. Straight away he carried on leaving the burning mess behind him and as soon as he had turned the corner at the end of the street he heard a siren in the distance. He didn't care though since they'd never know it was him and for a moment it made him feel a little better that he was causing chaos again. That too was shrouded by a picture of Misto and as soon as he realised it he dropped to his knees and slammed his fists against the ground. He stayed there for a few moments breathing heavily with his teeth bared and then looked up into the sky with fire in his eyes. Nothing was working and it angered him beyond all belief.

He spent the rest of the night running riot on the quiet streets and taking out his rage on anything that got in his way. By the time morning came the area looked like a war zone but without any hint of a cause because, as it was widely known, Macavity wasn't there.

* * *

Just as the residents of the ransacked street were waking up to the result of Macavity's furious expression of his confusion waiting for them outside their homes so too did the tuxedo patterned tom a couple of miles away in his junkyard home. Gently he flickered his eyes open and looked up at the ceiling of his den and let the sounds of the morning begin to grace his ears. At first he heard birdsong radiating in from outside and it seemed strange to hear once again. He remembered now the strange absence of it the morning before when he'd been with the most amazing cat he'd ever come across and was straight away plunged back into the emotions he'd experienced the previous day. He closed his eyes again and sighed as he began to realise today was going to be exactly the same and wished he could have just five minutes of peace from his tortured thoughts. They were really dragging on him now and he couldn't tell if he wanted them to go away or to let them take him further on a journey of imagination. Even his dreams had been filled with Macavity's deep green eyes staring at him seeming to penetrate deep into his soul and the sheer fantasy of it left him with a moving feeling that he soon forgot the meaning for as he slowly began to come back to consciousness.

It didn't take long for the ghost of Macavity to descend upon him once more and as he felt himself become consumed again he closed his eyes and savoured the memory of the all-encompassing ecstasy of that mystical feeling he'd experienced. It truly had been wonderful and even now made his fur want to stand on end. It tingled within his body and sent off a magnitude of butterflies in the pit of his stomach. He had most definitely been touched and above all things he wished he knew how – or even why.

He wondered if he ought to spend the day in bed again as he had done the day before but decided it would probably attract unwanted attention. Slowly he raised his body up and slumped as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and tried to find the will to get up. He stretched all of his limbs out in front of him and yawned widely before recoiling slightly and blinking as he felt the blood within him start to circulate to his extremities. He really didn't feel like doing anything and simply wanted to flop back onto the soft cushions.

Ignoring his desires he pushed down on his bed and steadied himself on his paws before yawning again and beginning to walk forward. He lurched like a zombie with the first few steps but then found a better rhythm in his sleepy state. As he walked he began to consider the things around him and realised everyone's sleeping pattern was probably askew. Different tribe-mates would be up and about at different times and he found that somewhat likeable. It would allow him time to be alone, a prospect he usually savoured since it meant he could perform all of the quirky things he did without anybody staring or muttering quietly about it to whoever was nearby. He didn't really care whether the others thought he was strange or not since he knew they all liked him but it was still a little disconcerting and off-putting to know someone was staring.

He stopped just short of his doorway and stretched his arms out again with his eyes closed and savoured the pleasurable ache it brought to him. As soon as he did it though his paw made contact with a book that leant against the wall of his den and clattered to the ground releasing a waft of dust and sending a few papers scattering. Misto looked down at the book where it fell and rolled his eyes at his clumsiness. The book in question was almost as big as him since he was quite a small cat and he'd had a quite a job getting into his den in the first place. He'd spotted it in the junk one day and after reading a few paragraphs decided it was too good to leave where it was and had proceeded to drag it back to his home. It had quite obviously been in the junk for a while since it was covered in dust and most of it now seemed to be floating in the air around him and he began to feel it tickle his nose and irritate his senses.

As soon as he placed his paws on the cover of the book he felt the unmistakeable itch in his nose of an approaching sneeze and before he had time to reach a paw up and cover his mouth he closed his eyes and sneezed an almighty sneeze. The first was followed by another and other and the fourth and final one was so violent that as soon as he felt it discharge from his body so too did he feel a little bit of magic slip. The stray sparkle shot out of his nose and flew at a loose piece of paper nearby bursting into flames on contact. The stunned Misto looked at the small fire he'd started for a moment before realising it was not a good thing to have sitting around for too long. Immediately he ran back to his bed, grabbed a blanket and tossed it over the flames before patting it down to extinguish any chance of his den turning into an inferno. He pulled the blanket back to see a horrible burn mark on the fabric and leant his head back as he felt the stress wash over him. He'd barely been awake for five minutes and already he was having a bad day. What would be the next thing to go wrong?

As he started to get up he heard a clattering at his den's entrance and turned just in time to see Munk enter.

"Is everything alright Misto? I heard a bang"

Misto nodded tiredly,

"Yes, it was just a little accident"

Munk sniffed the air and looked around cautiously as he spoke again,

"Is that smoke I smell?"

Misto rolled his eyes internally,

"Yes. As I said, I had a little accident"

"You really ought to practice your magic outside, you know. It'll keep you out of harms way for the most part."

"I wasn't practicing. It slipped"

"Slipped?"

"I sneezed and it just came out"

Munk smirked at him before shaking his head and chuckling.

"Sometimes I think you attract danger"

Misto looked at him blankly for a moment and thought _'More than you know'_ before responding,

"Yeah, well, can you help me with this"

Munk helped him pick the big book back up and propped it against the wall before standing back and looking at him.

"I didn't see you out last night"

"I was sleeping"

"Didn't you seep during the day?"

"No"

"Why's that?"

Misto thought for a moment and looked up at Munk with a look that almost screamed 'I'm lying',

"I was buzzing from the ball"

"Are you sure?" asked Munk not missing a beat.

"Well, of course I'm sure!" said Misto as he tried to look certain and offended that Munk might suggest he was lying.

"Alright, calm down, sparkle butt!" said Munk raising his paws defensively. Misto shot him a glare,

"Don't you start calling me that as well. It's enough your idiot brother insists on saying it over and over again whenever he sees me"

"Ah, yes, that reminds me, he's looking for you" said the silver tabby as he turned to leave.

Misto groaned at the prospect of having to be prattled on to by Tugger for the morning and he really didn't know why they were friends. Misto liked Tugger but he didn't really understand why and nor did he know why Tugger showed such curiosity in him. Maybe it was because Misto didn't show any interest in him sexually or maybe it was because he was magical. Most likely it was because Misto had let his better judgement slip only once and succumbed to the charms of the bigger tom. It had been enough to gratify Tugger and make him feel like the Everlasting Cat's gift to both queens and toms due to winning over the one cat that had always refused him in the past and Misto screwed his eyes shut and cringed over the memory of what he'd allowed to happen. Shutting it back as tightly as he could in the box he kept it in inside his mind he creakily raised his head back up and looked at Munk who was just leaving.

"Why?"

Munk looked back at him,

"You don't think I know, do you? He's a complete idiot and I'd rather not spend my time trying to handle the thought of what he gets up to"

"You know, he says the same about you"

"I'm sure he does but at least I know I'm not doing anything morally deplorable and you can tell him that if you want"

"Well, I can but I don't think he knows those words"

"Are you surprised?"

"Of course not" said Misto sharing a smile with his protector before the silver tabby hopped out of his den. Misto breathed in a strained breath and forced himself to do the same. As he stepped out into the bright morning air he stood on the junk outside his doorway and simply took in the sight of the big clearing in the middle of the junkyard. Everything seemed more or less back to normal and the whole area seemed to have lost that vibrancy it had possessed a couple of night beforehand. It was sad in a way although Misto didn't mind too much. At least now he could get back to practicing magic without having to spend time preparing for the ball and making do with Tugger's stupidity – regardless of whether it made him smile or not.

Tentatively taking a few steps forward he began to climb down to the ground and in an instant found himself on the junkyard floor. Looking at his paws he rubbed them together and felt magic tingle between them making him smile cheekily. He had to admit he was good regardless of whether he felt he should be modest or not. He'd built up quite a lot of skill in his art in the past few months and he was always eager to figure out new things to do with his magic. It made him feel special for many reasons but none of them more than knowing he was the only one that could do such things.

'_He can though'_ he heard in his mind.

Misto stopped and looked straight ahead for a few moments as he realised just what those three words meant. Macavity could do magic, or at least it seemed he could. That meant there was someone else out there that had abilities like his; that meant that he wasn't the only one that could do magic anymore; that meant that he was no longer unique.

Misto felt his heart sink a little as that realisation washed over him and looked back down at his paws. Suddenly they didn't look like the masterful tools of magic they had been when he'd looked at them only a moment ago. They looked less impressive now and he even felt a small twinge of embarrassment over them somewhere deep inside.

He then screwed his eyes shut again and let out another strained groan as he realised he'd led himself back to thoughts of Macavity again and cursed silently as he felt the thought of the magnificent tom plant itself firmly in his head. Macavity stared at him deeply with those wonderful, awe-inspiring eyes and straight away he felt that fabulous feeling for what seemed like the thousandth time. It gave him goose pimples under his fur and made it want to stand on end as it took him and Misto didn't know whether he wanted to smile or scream. It was growing stranger with every hour that passed but it wasn't a bad feeling. It felt really good but of course frustrating since he didn't know what it meant. It was like there was a wall in front of him that he was only slightly too short to see over but had the reason on the other side and however much he tried to jump up and look he just couldn't get high enough. The feeling continued to swell inside though and left him standing in the middle of the clearing looking fairly solemn and quiet – not really that out of the ordinary for him anyway whenever he could be seen publicly.

Turning back around he jumped back onto the junk outside his den and climbed over the doorway onto the junk that made up the roof. He perched himself there in a way that looked like even the gentlest breeze might knock him off but that of course was his way. He was a clever cat and despite how strange something he might do would look he was always a few steps ahead of any observers.

'_Much like Macavity'_ said his mind again.

"Grr! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" said Misto reaching up to his head and banging it with each 'Stop it!' Why was Macavity everywhere he looked? Surely this was some kind of mystical harassment by the Hidden Paw. Still, in his heart Misto didn't care. He secretly loved thinking about the brilliantly red cat and wondered where he was at that moment. What might he have been doing? Was he nearby?

Possibly.

Even if he was he probably couldn't tell. Then again, could he? He'd felt that unexplainable feeling when he'd been close to him before so if he felt it again would that be a signal for Macavity being nearby?

Possibly.

He felt that feeling even now though and surely Macavity wasn't around. Or was he? After a few seconds passed by Misto turned his head to look behind him half expecting to see the terrific tom staring back at him but soon realised when no one was there that it was a silly idea. Did that mean then that Macavity had left something with him? Something mystical? If he did then was there a way to explore it?

Possibly.

Misto began to bash his head with his paws again as he felt himself once more going in circles and kept doing so until he heard a voice below him.

"Are you alright?" came a seductive female voice with a hint of sass.

Misto looked up to see a red queen with a white chest looking up at him from the junkyard floor with confusion on her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Bomba"

"You were hitting yourself"

"I know"

Bombalurina gave him a strange look with narrowed eyebrows before responding.

"You're weird, Misto"

"Well, you're a slut" he countered

"I am not a slut, sparkle butt!"

"Why is everyone calling me that?"

"'Cos it's what you are!"

"I am gonna kill Tugger!" said Misto grimly, "And anyway, I'm not weird, I'm just mystic!"

"And I'm not a slut, I'm just friendly!"

The two glared at each other for a moment before they both began to crack and started to laugh together.

"You're just friendly?" asked Misto with a chuckle

"Very friendly it seems" she smiled back, "How you doing?"

"Okay" said Misto nodding, "Still a bit tired"

"Me too. It was a good ball though, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was"

"And well done to you, of course, for all of your razzle dazzle"

"Oh…thanks" said Misto quietly resisting the urge to smile at the praise, "It was nothing"

"It was hardly nothing. You saved Old Deuteronomy"

"Well...yeah" said Misto trying not to blush

"Yeah, and just in time too so I hear"

"Hm?"

"Who knows what Macavity would have done to him if you hadn't brought him back"

Misto looked down at her curiously for a moment and suddenly remembered what she had sung at the ball. She had sung about Macavity and it didn't at all seem like she was a stranger to him. Did she know more about him? Could he ask her?

"Really?" said Misto cautiously, "What do you think might have happened?"

"Well, he's…" said Bomba before stopping and seeming to gain a dreamy look in her eye. Misto watched as she thought airily for a moment before carrying on, "…he's a terror but…remarkable in what he's capable of. There's no telling what he could think up"

"Remarkable?" asked Misto trying to look normal but hungry for information on the inside. Bomba continued to look dreamy for a moment before seeming to suddenly snap out of it and shook her head slightly as her mood changed.

"Well, yes, but he's awful. He's a horrific tom and what he's done is beyond forgiveness"

"You know about something he's done?" asked Misto letting some of his curiosity slip as he anticipated finding something out about the mesmerising tom.

Bomba looked up at him with words caught in her throat as if she'd said something she shouldn't have although Misto didn't know there was actually truth to that and the red queen struggled to think of something to tell him as the gap in their conversation grew longer and led Misto closer to believing he had touched on something juicy. He started to lean forward as he anticipated her answer with a hungry look in his eyes and almost came close to getting overexcited.

"He's…" began the red queen before biting her lip and stammering a little more.

"Yes?" said Misto

"I…uh…he's…well, everyone knows what he's done. It's common knowledge! He lies, he steals, he causes trouble just for the sake of it and he's an all out, no good piece of filth. That's all there is to it"

'_Like hell that's all there is to it!'_ thought Misto without breaking his gaze at her.

"Is there anything you-"

"I'm sorry, I have to go" she cut in, "Demeter's expecting me for breakfast. I'll see you later"

With that she tottered off across the junkyard and disappeared behind a pile of twisted metal and broken furniture. Misto followed her with his eyes until she hopped out of sight and stared at the spot where she had disappeared intently feeling more charged up now than he had done in all of the time up until that point. She knew something else, that was certain and he was almost positive now that Macavity wasn't the monster everyone said he was. If he let cats like Bomba in then he must have had the capacity to let cats find out more about him on a personal level. It made perfect sense and Misto so desperately wanted to be one of those cats. He craved it more than anything else and nearly went crazy with the buzz he felt inside at that moment.

He had to find out more about Macavity; it was imperative to his survival now. Even if it would only lead to his demise he'd at least satisfy himself. He needed that knowledge of Macavity, if for nothing else then for to at least know the tiniest thing about another cat that was like him. He didn't care anymore that he might not be unique; if he could know the only other cat that maybe understood him then he wouldn't feel alone anymore. Sure, he had friends and a family that loved him but it wasn't quite enough to be totally satisfying. Now that he knew there might be another he couldn't ignore it and he just had to know him somehow.

* * *

Macavity stared off into nothingness as he tossed a mangled piece of silverware he'd stolen from somewhere to the side. He couldn't remember exactly what piece it had been when he'd stared but he didn't care.

"Another fork, sir?" asked a henchcat who stood nearby with an open box of an entire set. Macavity had taken up destroying the beautifully crafted pieces in an attempt to distract himself but after maybe twenty or thirty horribly twisted knives and forks he'd found it wasn't working.

"No, thank you" he said as he pushed himself up from the luxurious cushion he rested on and turned away from the small black cat that stood close by. The glow of a few candles dotted here and there brightened the dimness of his den and the flickering light on the slanted roof above him danced and shimmied as he continued to think of Misto.

The tux had been on his mind all day and prevented him from getting any sleep once again despite however many hours he'd spent in his big, luxurious bed. Every time he'd felt himself growing drowsy another picture of Misto flickered into his mind's eye and he was instantly woken up again with fervid fascination.

At that particular moment in time he was thinking about how dainty Misto's paw had been when he looked at it resting on the ground as the tom had examined him and remembered how much he'd wanted to hold it and feel its softness. The short fur had looked so wonderful and he wanted nothing more than to grasp it in his and experience its warmness. As he imagined the feeling he felt a smile tease at his lips but then let out a loud growl of anger at succumbing to the thought. Every passing minute he became an even greater embarrassment to himself and he wished he could stop being so soft. To him it was weak and he hated feeling that way. He had to be strong, it was who he was and he couldn't let that little twit take it from him. He'd had to be strong ever since those bastards threw him out of their tribe and it was his bitterness towards the Jellicles but also his longing that kept his anger stoked.

With a sigh he turned around once more and started walking towards the attic window,

"I'm going to the roof again" he said to the attending henchcat as he shuffled across the floor, "please don't disturb me"

"As you wish, sir" said the black cat obediently to his master.

Macavity unlatched the window and stepped out onto the sill. He took a deep breath before beginning to turn but was stopped by the voice that came from behind him,

"Sir, before you go…"

Macavity turned back looking fairly uninterested. The henchcat carried on,

"…forgive me for assuming, sir, but you seem stressed. Would you care for some tea or maybe some grooming?"

Macavity thought for a moment but then simply turned away and jumped out of view towards the drainpipe which led to the roof. Those things had both sounded nice but he'd already tried them earlier that day and neither had worked to ease his strife.

Once again he perched himself on top of the chimney and stared out towards the horizon. It was mid afternoon and the summer sun was beating down on his ember-coloured fur and making him feel somewhat uncomfortable but the breeze which blew by all the way up there provided him with some relief. He was so drained by now and he knew it wouldn't be long before his body couldn't go any longer without sleep. At this point he would welcome total exhaustion to put him out of his misery and just wished he could be left alone. The thoughts were like an annoying cat hanging around that he couldn't get rid of and kept badgering him for something. In a way that's exactly what it was but when he thought of exactly whom that cat was he wanted to pull him closer just as much as he wanted to push him away. Misto was a vision of loveliness and it was like his image had been carved into Macavity without him knowing. That feeling of being close to Misto lingered in the fiery coloured cat and wished he could get close again.

That was stupid though. Getting close to him would mean seeking him out and compromising himself and that was simply out of the question. Besides, these feelings would go away sooner or later – or at least he hoped they would. Still, it would certainly nice to just see him in the fur again. To see him living and breathing and moving would be a gift and he so wished he could do so. Even if he couldn't see him but could just catch his scent, that would be enough although he knew it would drive him wild. Misto had smelled spectacular and even the memory of that gave him shivers.

Macavity had given up physical manifestations of his annoyance every time he realised he'd flip-flopped between different feelings once again. He'd done it so much that day that he was slowly growing immune to the need to do so and even if he wasn't he barely had the energy to do it anyway. He barely had the energy to do anything for that matter and just wanted to remain still. He couldn't eat, he didn't want to go robbing, he didn't want to cause havoc and he didn't even want to breath too deeply. He just wanted Misto and the joy of simply thinking about him was all that was keeping him from giving up due to the annoyance towards that very same thought. He was way beyond conflicted but he was losing the will to care. He was resolving to just purely and simply desiring that cat and yet even that presented him with new problems.

If he had him, what would he do with him? Quite literally, what would he actually do with him? He hadn't even thought about that up until now since he'd been so fixated on wanting him and now that he'd actually spared a thought towards it he realised he had absolutely nothing in mind. It didn't deter him though, just having him to look at would be nice and that thought didn't make him feel as stupid as he might have expected. He was a great appreciator of many things and beauty was certainly one of them. Misto was more than beauty though, he represented something unclear and unfathomable and by those very tokens he was more desirable than anything else.

And yet, Macavity still didn't have him. Misto wasn't there whenever he opened his eyes and that frustrated him as well as everything else that was going on. He wanted Misto, he didn't want Misto; he craved both and the war between them pushed him to the brink of despair.

'_Surely one look wouldn't hurt' _he heard somewhere in the back of his mind before instantly crushing it into oblivion. He would absolutely not allow himself to seek out that blasted cat and that he swore to himself. He may have been feeling weak but he still had limits. No matter how much he wanted to see Misto again he forbade it of himself and obliterated any thought that suggested otherwise.

'_You'd enjoy it'_

'_He's beautiful'_

'_It wouldn't have to be for long'_

'_Just one look'_

The thoughts kept coming and coming and still he tried to quash them. Soon though they began to cloud his mind and all of a sudden he found himself right on the edge of breaking point once more. It was past the threshold of manageability now and he was quickly descending into despair whilst losing any means of dragging himself out again. His mind was against him, his heart was against him and together they conspired to overthrow his sanity and sensibility.

"Oh, Everlasting Cat, why?" he begged towards the heavens and once more buried his face in his paws. He should have hated Misto for captivating him so thoroughly but he didn't, he hated himself for allowing it to happen and now there seemed there was no way back. Misto was amazing beyond all explanation and he couldn't rid himself of him. Misto had become like the very air surrounding him: he breathed him and lived through him and he could no longer escape him.

What diabolical spell was this? Why was he so drawn to him? Why did the very thought of him knock him head over heels?

These questions haunted him and he simply stayed there on the rooftop with his head in his paws until he could no longer remember how long he'd been there and slipped completely into despondency.

**Hope you liked it. The next chapter will see a bit more excitement than both of our main characters' endless moaning. Hope that wasn't a drag. Any reviews are welcome and are always very much enjoyed.**

**See you in Chapter 3! x**


	3. Obsession

**Sorry it took me longer than usual to get this chapter up. Usually I try and go for a seven or eight day turn around but due to life getting in the way this one took a few days extra. As well as life this one is somewhat longer than the standard ten thousand words I aim for in each chapter in the sense that it's twice that and so I hope it's good enough to keep you entertained. I also hope the story is progressing at a nice pace but if you think otherwise then please let me know. **

**Now, as I just said this one is really, really, really long. The longest chapter I've ever written in fact (or so far at least!) and so for your convenience I've marked a good place to stop and take a break so you can split it up if you like. I thought about splitting this into two chapters but it really stands better as one so I figured it might be nice to know where to take a breather if you desire.**

**So without further ado…**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 3**

**Obsession**

Macavity stared down at the morning newspaper that had been brought to his bed where he was lounging. Beneath him were the finest of silk cushions as well as blankets made from Italian wool and they provided him with unmatched comfort as he half-laid there staring blankly. Another sleepless night – or what may have been day, he couldn't tell – had preceded this quiet moment and now that he'd been awake for longer than he could remember time started to become much more liquid and began to loose its usually solid pacing. In the days up until that point there had been moments when he found an hour had gone by which had only felt like a few minutes as well as times when he had looked out from his lair up to the sky to see the moon shining down upon him opposed to the sun he had expected.

His perception of time wasn't the only thing that was slipping away though and as he closed his sore, strained eyes and tilted his head slowly from side to side he felt the aching muscles in his neck resist the movements as much as they could and didn't forget to tell him just how much they were opposed to being used. The now less fiery-looking tom didn't attempt to move any other part of his body as he slumped in the same position he'd been in all day or night – whichever it had been – as he could already sense every corner of his flesh voicing the same opinion as held by the muscles in his neck. He ached terribly and it was a very specific kind of ache at that: exhaustion. He really needed to sleep and he knew it was serious since when he tried to summon even the tiniest shred of mental energy for any reason it very quickly fizzled out and became cloudy leaving him wondering what it was he had been trying to think about in the first place as well as lukewarm disappointment in himself for allowing it to happen. The rage that usually took the place of the disappointment had been absent for days by this point since he just couldn't muster the energy for it anymore and had simply resigned to whatever emotion his mind wanted to apply to his beyond confused heart's plight. Perhaps such a thing might have been a welcome change for his blood pressure but it was quite clear that the disadvantages in this situation outweighed the benefits. With every passing hour he felt as if he were shutting down slowly and despite how much he wanted to pull himself out of the rut he seemed to be stuck in he just couldn't manage it. So too did he seem to start feeling numb to the world around him and that combined with his tiredness was beginning to lead him to feeling closed off from the world.

Whenever one of his henchcats came to wait on him he had needed to be jolted out of the dazes he had fallen into and at some moments hadn't even remembered how to make the words in his mind come out of his mouth. He was slowly becoming hopeless but in accordance with the pattern of increasing numbness he began to realise it less and less. These dazes were so strange they actually began to make him feel physically uncomfortable although his massive fatigue was preventing him from shaking himself out of them. Even if he could muster the energy he probably wouldn't have remembered to use it as he was constantly distracted by his both wonderful and terrible thoughts.

He had, since the cause of his shakeup, managed to sleep here and there but as more time passed such episodes were becoming rarer. Even when he did manage to sleep his dreams were filled with one particular thing but that, as it turned out, was one thing that he wasn't growing tired of. Despite how much he wished he could stop the captivation that ruled him he also clung to it fiercely as through it all it still provided him with joy and wonder. This captivation was magic - literally or not he wasn't sure – and it somehow made him feel okay despite every other part of his being trying to make him feel awful. Perhaps in some way it manifested as hope and to think of its cause as a beacon of such a wonderful element made his tired heart sing. Ever since that moment he'd stared into those gorgeous eyes many days before their owner had simply become more and more amazing in his mind. Whether the things he assumed about that very owner were true or not he wasn't sure but he knew in some way that whatever the real attributes of that amazing cat were he'd be overjoyed to know for certain. The few things that he did know were enough to keep him feeling captivated but also happy and despite his body seemingly wanting to enter a coma he never let up in his desire to understand more about Misto. He so desperately wanted to know him on a personal level and whenever he thought about him his heart seemed to jump for joy. It certainly wasn't love - he was at least sure of that since he was quite certain he'd be able to distinguish that out of his mixed feelings – but it was definitely something moving. Perhaps it was just an incredibly deep-set curiosity that now commanded him like an army general and even though it might not have been love he certainly didn't mind being ordered around by it – at least on one side of his mind's argument that was. If only he could meet him just one more time, he knew that it would fill up a vast empty space inside him and he was convinced there was nothing else he wanted more.

It was this feeling of longing that seemed to drag so heavily on his very soul and he just couldn't understand why he felt so horrible in such odd ways. There had only been one other time he had felt this lost and broken and as the memory entered his mind he paused and remembered just what a horrible day that had been. That day had changed his life forever and though it had all been a terrible accident the sheer horror of what he had done meant no amount of begging for forgiveness from the tribe that had then proceeded to cut him off so brutally from their midst could redeem him from his crime. Even now he felt remorse from that ugly stain on his life but years of bitterness and hate brewing against the Jellicles for casting him out had made it fade somewhat. Still, he knew he would always feel horrible for having done what he did and even now he felt a chill from the memory of looking into the cold, lifeless eyes of that queen and then at the disgusted, hate-filled eyes of his former tribe-mates.

Shaking his head he forced the memory back into the darkest depths of his mind and refocused on the matter at hand which while incredibly frustrating filled him to some extent with hope.

Macavity didn't notice a clattering emanating from the entrance to his bedchamber – or whatever the small place in the human's house's attic he'd closed off and turned into his bed space was akin to – and simply continued to stare down at the fresh newspaper that had been placed there for him by one of his henchcats sometime earlier. Usually he liked to read the morning news and keep abreast of the goings-on in the world he lived in whilst consuming his breakfast but this morning – which he now had come to realise it was by figuring out that a new paper meant that time of day – he just didn't feel like it. He hadn't felt like it for days and so he carried on lazing and gazing whilst not hearing the clattering become louder.

Out of his view, two henchcats carried between them a small silver tray with a matching silver dish atop it upon which their master's breakfast had been prepared. This morning he was being served scrambled eggs with very delicately placed smoked salmon and the two henchcats that carried it stopped when they reached his bed and brought the tray down before placing it next to the untouched newspaper. The two cats waited silently as the bigger, red tom continued to stare roughly in the direction of the items and didn't move for a long time. As the silent seconds that passed began to grow more numerous the two cats glanced at each other nervously and tried to figure out from each other's unknowing expression what to do. Pretty soon that very silence became unbearable and through a series of tiny, silent gestures between the two of them one of the henchcats tried to pluck up the courage to speak.

Shakily, the black tom breathed in as big a breath as he could and swallowed hard before attempting to force his slightly quivering jaw to obey him and form the words that usually seemed to present no difficulty in saying. Going with what little gusto he had built up within him he made his attempt,

"Sir…? Is anything the matter?"

The much larger tom below them didn't even flicker an ear as the words graced them and simply remained steadfast in his vague, hazy gazing into nothingness. His servants, feeling ever more worried exchanged glances again and had it not been for their fur they surely would have seen each other sweating from their shared nerves. The cat who had spoken first glared daggers at the other and silently coerced him into speaking next; after all it was his turn. With the same trepidation the second cat fumbled his lips before continuing his companion's stuttering offer of assistance,

"Is…Is something not right with your breakfast, sir? Or perhaps the paper?"

Still no response came and together they felt themselves practically dying inside as they wondered whether or not their master was silently brewing anger within him at their stupid questions. They wouldn't dare run though, that would not at all be respectful since Macavity was after all their master and as such they knew they had to uphold only the highest standards of servitude and respect.

Unknown to any cat outside his lair, Macavity was above all things a gracious master to his servants and in no way were they his slaves. He'd never let a soul find out but he did provide for his henchcats and as such kept them sheltered, in good health and provided them safety. In return he enjoyed being waited upon and it certainly made being the Napoleon of Crime easier since anything from his heists could be dealt with upon his return by one cat or another. Still, the henchcats knew what fire lurked within their master and while it rarely was directed at any of them, when it did rear its ugly head they nonetheless did their best to avoid it by trying not to anger their master. They were among the few cats that knew exactly what he was capable of – or at least they knew enough to be wary – and so they made sure to prize themselves on being the most upstanding and hard-working servants they could be. Such incredible respect and service was surely only poured elsewhere upon royalty and it seemed there was no greater relationship between master and servant to be found.

That relationship was being tested at that moment though for still no reply came from their master leaving the two henchcats who waited patiently at the edge of the bed ever more nervous. The two of them tried not to let any of it show externally but they knew for sure that if he couldn't see it then Macavity could certainly smell it pouring out of them. The surge of adrenaline they both felt was most unnerving and through their blank but shocked looks they tried to figure out what to do.

With a sudden burst of courage the first henchcat that spoke raised his voice slightly and almost shouted the single word,

"Sir?"

Macavity's eyes instantly shot up to meet his and he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as he felt his master focus on him. Had he not been so afraid of what response he might receive he would have noticed a look of confusion and surprise on his master's face before the maned tom brought his eyes back down slightly, closed them, gently shook his head and took a deep breath before opening them again. As he looked down he saw the newspaper and smoked salmon resting next to him and took a moment to wonder how they had got there.

Looking back up at the two toms before him he glanced between them briefly with the same expression of marred confusion before clearing his throat and speaking,

"Is something the matter?"

The toms looked at each other briefly as if to ask themselves 'Has he gone crazy?' and then returned their gazes to him before the tom who had just spoken replied,

"We were asking you the same question, sir"

Macavity thought for a moment and tried to remember what they had said and for that matter when exactly they had arrived at his bedside and started speaking. When he found he couldn't he looked back up and simply said,

"No. That will be all, thank you"

The two toms bowed their heads before turning to leave Macavity's bedchamber. The moment they stepped outside they allowed the feeling of relief to wash over them like a cool breeze on a hot summer's day and instantly began to boggle at the strangeness of the situation they'd just been in. He had been so far away for almost the entire time they were with him and they could see something was really not right. It didn't take them too long to spread the message to the other henchcats in the lair and whilst it was making its way around Macavity was left alone with his thoughts and a slowly cooling breakfast.

He felt he wanted to eat and knew he should have done and even though what had been so carefully prepared for him smelled absolutely delicious he just didn't feel like picking it up and putting it in his mouth. It just didn't seem as important as what else was on his mind and he simply resigned to the melancholy that had been with him for what seemed like forever. He didn't have the one thing he really wanted and as such nothing else seemed worth doing or believing in. Misto, when he'd looked upon him days beforehand had been perfect and if at all possible his endless and unbreakable train of thought about him had become even more perfect. How could perfection possibly be improved upon? He didn't know but he was sure that some mystical or even divine power that was held within the black and white little tom somehow made it achievable. Everything he thought about him seemed wonderful and it seemed that it didn't even matter that he didn't know whether these things he was thinking were true or not. He was making Misto the sole object of his desire and every single one of the traits he supposed the magician possessed made him increasingly more attractive.

It was then that Macavity paused and did his best to stand back from his thoughts for a moment and think about what it was he had just said to himself internally. Misto had seemed perfect to him - that was a given – but now it seemed he was becoming more perfect. Perfection, he knew, was a quality that couldn't be surpassed or improved upon and as he continued to lounge he slowly started to realise that what he'd been supposing and rejoicing over was all a product of his own imagination.

Ignoring the resistance from his body he pushed his himself up and then hunched over to burry his face in his paws. How had it taken him this long to realise that he was being duped by his own mind? How could it possibly have been that he'd allowed himself to be carried away on a magic carpet of dreams about Misto without realising that he was making it all up on his own? He felt so stupid and flopped back onto the bed before starting to writhe in internal turmoil and frustration. He didn't know who he was anymore and he felt so far away from the cat he had been just one week beforehand that he knew if he looked in the mirror he'd see a stranger. Above all things at that moment he was embarrassed by himself since he now realised just what a huge amount of stupid, kittenish drivel he'd allowed himself to believe but at the same time he knew that he didn't want to take any of it back. He couldn't remember anymore where the line was that separated what he knew for certain about Misto and what he had made up but he didn't care. Misto was still so perfect in his eyes and he still needed him more than anything else in the world. He craved him desperately and felt even more humiliated that he'd allowed himself to make things up about the cat he adored. Misto didn't deserve to be supposed about, he was a wonderful cat that had amazing attributes that were all his own and Macavity knew he didn't need obsessive criminals like himself making them up for him.

Through all of the anguish Macavity felt though there was one more thing that was standing out from his plethora of emotions that he hadn't known he'd had that shouted at him quite loudly. It was a feeling that made his heart heavy and even more lonesome and it was all because he didn't know if Misto even cared about their meeting those days before. He wanted to believe so very much that the perfect little magician was just as interested in him but logic and a cold sense of reality kept telling him that it was unlikely. What would the Magical Mister Mistoffelees want with a cat that had a reputation like his despite whether it was true or not. All of those Jellicles shared the same damn opinion about him and it was highly likely that Misto found him despicable. The feeling made Macavity feel low to say the least and he so wished Misto might be able to see past that. At the same time it seemed as if maybe he had when they'd gazed at each other in such awe but Macavity didn't know whether that was something else he'd made up or not and it frustrated him to be stuck in such confusion. Could it be that Misto might feel the same? Could it be that maybe he wasn't like the others and could see the part of him that the others didn't? Could it possibly be that maybe Misto saw the goodness in him that he thought he'd lost the day he'd been severed from his tribe?

"Right! That's enough" he said to himself firmly before straightening up, grabbing a huge forkful of the breakfast he'd been delivered and stuffed the mixture of smoked salmon and eggs in to his mouth before chewing firmly whilst fixing his eyes firmly forward and forcing himself to think clearly. There was no point in continuing to mope as it wasn't getting him anywhere and apart from that it even seemed to be putting him in reverse – in how many ways he couldn't quite tell. He had to stop this stupid, adolescent griping that had gripped him and he had to take action to rectify the situation. That was what the normal, levelheaded Macavity would do and there was no reason why he couldn't put himself back on the straight and narrow whilst allowing himself to indulge in his current obsession. He loved having his cake and eating it too; after all he was Macavity and there was nothing too deplorable to him – or at least that's how some cats seemed to feel.

Sitting there but not moaning or feeling sorry for himself anymore he continued to eat and as he did so started to plan how exactly he was going to satisfy his deep set urges to know more about that beautiful, magical cat.

* * *

A couple of miles away a white queen ambled along one of her junkyard home's many trails chatting idly as she walked with another young queen about the same size as her but with quite a different coat. The second queen's name was Jemima and she was one of the most adorable cats the tribe possessed. Her coat was a wonderful mixture of satin red with patches of black and brown along with a lovely white chest and a face that bore such a bright disposition that even the hearts of the grumpiest cats could be melted by her smile. She and Victoria were good friends and had been so for longer than either of them cared to remember and as such it was rare to find them apart during waking hours. They seemed to understand each other so easily and while others would wonder what exactly it was that kept them blabbering on to each other all day long the two never thought to question it.

This morning in particular they were simply shooting the breeze as they aimlessly walked along and had no destination in mind as they simply enjoyed the cool, fresh air before the sun made it too warm to do anything other than laze about. These days of summer made that occurrence rather common and it was not at all unusual come midday to enter the clearing and see almost everyone sprawled out almost shamelessly across the warmest patches of ground and napping as if they hadn't slept in weeks. It was certainly what they both intended to do once the temperature became too high but for now they enjoyed the coolness of the morning and the revitalized energy it seemed to instil within them.

"I don't know whether I should do it or not really" said Jemima to Victoria as she finished up what she had been talking about, "I see Bomba does it from time to time but I don't know if he would notice at all"

"What exactly is it you wanted to do again?" asked the white queen having only listened to parts of what her friend had been telling her.

"Haven't you been listening?"

"Yes, but there was a lot to listen to"

"I was talking about painting my claws to try and get Tugger to notice me but I don't know that if I did he'd even take a second glance"

"I'm sorry to say I don't think he would. He barely notices anything that's not a part of himself"

"He notices Bomba though"

"Well, she puts it out on a plate for him"

Jemima paused for a moment before replying,

"I suppose you're right, but still, what if I just did it to see if it looked any good?"

"Well, it's up to you but I don't know if Jenny would think so"

"I could hide it from her"

"As if! She can notice a single speck of dust on the floor so how do you expect she'll forget to check your claws"

"Well, they're my claws. I can do what I want with them"

"Do you want to tell her that?"

Another pause,

"No…"

"There you are then"

"It seems to work for Bomba though. I just wish he'd notice me, you know?"

"He notices you more than he does the others. You should count yourself lucky"

"But he notices Bomba more"

"Well, she does give it away"

The satin queen thought silently for a longer moment this time and then eventually made her quiet reply,

"Do you think I should give it away?"

Victoria's eyes widened in surprise before she felt hilarity rise inside her and began to laugh,

"You? Give it away like Bomba does? Oh, Jems, you're hilarious!"

Jemima felt a blush appear under her fur and replied with as determined a look about her as she could manage,

"Why not? I could be…sexy…maybe…"

The mere mention of the word 'sexy' set Victoria off even more and the white queen stopped to steady herself against the junk as she laughed over what her friend was suggesting,

"Jemima, stop it! I'm gonna wet myself!"

"Stop laughing!" she cried feeling incredibly embarrassed

"I can't help it! It's too funny!"

Jemima simply turned away and pouted until the white queen's cries of laughter began to die down and then turned back with a scowl about her.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do to get that giant idiot to notice me? I try so hard but sometimes it's like he doesn't even know I exist"

Taking a few deep breaths to replenish the air she'd forced out from her episode of laughter Victoria formed a reply,

"Maybe you should count yourself lucky, after all when Tugger shows interest in someone it can never lead to anything good"

"Well, I didn't see you ignoring him recently. In fact, I think you're just as guilty of going crazy when he shakes his hips about"

Victoria smiled,

"Well, he's good at attracting attention. He practically screams a 'look at me!' vibe"

"Speaking of attracting attention, what's up with your brother at the moment?"

Victoria's expression changed to one of mild exasperation and she rolled her eyes before fixing them forward and carrying on their walk.

"I don't know, Jems. He's definitely not himself and I have absolutely no idea why. He just sits there all day long barely saying a thing and I'm sure if I didn't bring him anything to eat he'd starve. I don't know what it is but something's on in his mind and as far as I can tell it's not going anywhere anytime soon. I mean, it wouldn't be so bad if he just told me what the matter was but whenever I try and talk to him he goes off in his own little world and it's like trying to squeeze water out of a stone. He's become completely impossible but it's only been the last few days"

"Since the ball?"

"Mmhmm"

Jemima took a second to think again before speaking,

"Did anything happen to him while it was going on?"

"No, I don't think so. In fact, I'd say he had more than a good time"

"Yeah, me too. So you don't think it was that?"

"Well, it makes sense that it should have been but we were together almost the entire time and I didn't notice anything. Even afterwards he was totally pleased with himself and feeling all high and mighty because of saving Old Deuteronomy"

"Right…" said Jemima weakly as she trailed off into thoughts of what might have ensnared the black and white tom. "So you really can't think of anything?"

Victoria shrugged.

"Well, has he been doing anything else?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like going anywhere in particular that seems a little unusual or doing anything differently"

"No. Like I said he just sits either in his den or just outside it and stays quiet all day long just staring blankly and moping."

"Moping?"

"Yeah. Every now and then he sighs like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders and looks like he's been jilted or something"

"Now there's something"

Victoria looked over at her companion,

"Hm?"

"Do you think that maybe he has a crush on someone? And do you suppose maybe he told that someone? And do you suppose maybe that someone said no?"

Victoria lost herself for a moment in deep thought about whether or not her brother may have been hiding a secret affection for someone that she'd completely missed and brought her paw to her chin as she did so. He hadn't mentioned anything of the like to her but he could be secretive about certain things. Was it possible that maybe her strange but also incredibly cool brother had kept something on the down low and made sure that she hadn't found it out? It was certainly possible and it filled her with intrigue.

Turning back to her friend she placed a wry smile on her face and began to speak,

"Do you know, Jemima, I suddenly have an urgent desire to find Misto and ask him a few questions?"

Jemima mimicked her expression and added a little excitement,

"Do you know, Victoria, I think I feel exactly same way"

* * *

Stepping back a few paces Misto looked at the tower of marbles he'd managed to create in front of him. It had taken him nearly an hour but eventually he had seemed to make one marble sit and stay on top of another and had carried on until he'd built it right up to the ceiling. Such activities were becoming stranger and stranger as the days went by as he tried to find ways to distract himself from thoughts of the incredibly handsome cat he'd seen the morning after the Jellicle Ball but try as he might none of them seemed to be proving very effective.

Over and over he'd been trying to tell himself that such all-encompassing thoughts were utterly useless and he did manage to get as far as convincing the sensible part of his brain that it was the truth. The sensible part of his brain though, as history would tell, was not the dominant part of him and it had always seemed that eccentricity and abstract thought dictated the way he was. As such, despite how much he told himself to feel differently he just couldn't find any means of making it happen and so he still wallowed in the wonderful but terrible dreaminess of the vision of Macavity.

Had he been paying attention to what was going on around him he would have definitely noticed the unwanted attention he was drawing to himself in the form of quiet murmurs enquiring of his whereabouts and strange looks whenever he did emerge just to sit and stare endlessly. Everyone knew that Misto was an odd fellow but he'd never given them cause for concern before; still, his usually strange behaviour had been replaced by another type of stranger behaviour and to everyone that observed it wasn't entirely settling.

At that moment in time Misto continued to look up and down the tower of marbles that were suspended vertically in the air in front of him but it soon became apparent to him that even he wasn't convinced by the smile he tried to put on his face to signal a job well-done. Letting it die away so too did he turn himself to flop down on the bed behind him making the tower of marbles scatter as soon as he broke the connection he held with it. In quite a funk he placed his paws under his chin and supported his head as he closed his eyes to listen intently to the silence around him. Sprawled out across his bed he could faintly hear the sounds of kittens playing somewhere outside his den and started to feel annoyed as it became the only thing he could hear. Wrinkling his nose slightly at the bugging sound he opened his eyes again and turned over so he was staring up at the ceiling blankly and tried to look for anything interesting in the pattern of junk that composed it that might distract him if only for a few seconds. Nothing jumped out at him though and he knew he should have remembered that he hadn't found anything during what seemed like the hundred other times he'd done just that. In fact it seemed that he'd stared at every single corner of his den in search for something interesting yet after having gone through every one of his possessions and playing with every single one of the tricks he knew he was completely at a loss for any kind of diversion. As such he had been kidnapped by thoughts of the wonderfully red tom he felt mystically connected to and had been that way for days. Many an hour he'd spent just thinking and thinking about him and trying to work things out about him but none of the mental paths he'd taken provided him with any kind of enlightenment. If only there was some way he could see Macavity again he knew he'd be sated but in his heart he knew the chances of that happening were slim to zero.

Above the dizzying feelings of happiness he felt when thinking about Macavity he knew even more that he'd probably never see him again. He was glad in some ways that he still hung onto some sense of reality throughout his obsession but at the same time that very truth that stared him in the face was saddening. That wonderful tom was truly the most amazing cat he had ever known and he barely knew anything about him. Just how spectacular would it be to know him more wholly or even as a friend? Surely it would be the best feeling that could be experienced by anyone and Misto's heart begged for even the tiniest snippet of extra information about the cat who was now the object of his desire. He wanted to touch him, he wanted to grab hold of him and feel that wonderful rush surge through him once more to the point that he would cry out for mercy. He wanted his head to swim and heart to race because of him again and the memory of how staggeringly wonderful it had been sent a shiver through him and made him writhe with ecstasy.

As he remembered he began to roll around on his bed and started to giggle like a kitten with a toy mouse and without realising he dug his claws into the pillows that surrounded him and tied himself up in a mess of blankets. Deeper and deeper he became absorbed in his memory and it wasn't long before his mind created images of Macavity snaking his paws all over his body and making him feel pleasure like nothing he'd ever known before. As he continued to contort himself he bared his shining white teeth in a huge grin and bit his lip as he imagined the sensation of Macavity exploring his body with his paws and letting that same energy he'd felt that fateful morning rush through him. It didn't seem to be entirely sexual to him, it was more the sheer naughtiness of the thought of who it was that he was imagining and the sensation of that connection they shared and as he continued to roll around he began to moan and groan loudly at the ghostly touch and the bad cat's electricity running through him. He began to rub his paws over his body to simulate the touch of the powerful cat's paws and whenever he brushed over a more sensitive area he let out a slightly louder giggle and yelp as he imagined Macavity doing it. It was absolute bliss and it made him feel things that he had almost forgotten he was capable of feeling.

As he carried on he began to giggle more loudly and as such didn't notice the sound of two queens entering his den most unsuspecting of what they were about to happen upon. As they did so Misto just so happened to start producing small but very incriminating words that would soon serve to leave him dumbfounded with mortification.

"Oh, Everlasting Cat! Stop it!" he giggled with his eyes closed as he continued to writhe and the sheer sight of him behaving in such a way made the two visiting queens drop their jaws in sickening surprise.

Misto flinched and forced his eyes open as he heard the distinctive coughing of someone clearing their throat to get his attention and slowly straightened himself up on his bed like a vampire leaning up out of a coffin with his eyes widened and a guilty expression on his face. Looking up he saw his sister and Jemima staring back at him with shocked looks on their faces and a similar loss for words that he too felt so strongly within himself at that moment. They continued to stare at each other silently for a long time as an enormous sense of embarrassment began to fill each of them and as the two queens turned their heads to exchange awkward glances with one another whilst Misto remained stock still on his bed clutching a blanket he had been winding around himself they seemed to ask without speaking whether or not they should simply turn back around and leave him to whatever it was he had been doing or stay and pretend it hadn't happened – after all it seemed incredibly private and even weirder than his usual mannerisms.

The moments of silence dragged on and the sheer discomfort that grew in the air was starting to grind at all of them in their own ways. For the young queens who stood flabbergasted in front of Misto's bed it was a kind of filthy feeling that made them feel as if they hadn't washed in weeks and for Misto the desire to simply die then and there was the sensation that he was filled with. After what seemed like an hour of awkward silence it was eventually Misto who summoned up the courage to speak but what came out was not the normal, calm voice he expected. Instead he squeezed out a bumpy mumbling,

"Hello…you two"

"Hi…" said Jemima in return while Victoria continued to battle with the disgusting feeling she felt inside, "…we just thought…erm…"

"Yes…?" asked Misto wishing the ground would swallow him up.

"…Yeah, um…well…we thought…you'd been on your own for quite a while and…um…Victoria?"

Misto stiffly turned his attention to his quiet sister and found it horribly unsettling to look into her eyes which bore a distinct display of discomfort. The white queen remained silent as her brother and friend looked at her from where they respectively sat and stood and the only sign that she was still conscious was when she took a firm gulp.

Misto turned back to Jemima and forced out some words he hoped would progress their conversation,

"That was…kind of you"

"Yep…" replied Jemima, "So…"

"So…"

"…Are you alright?"

"Mmhmm. Yes, yes, perfectly fine"

"Good, very good"

There was slightly too long a gap before Jemima carried on.

"We were just wondering because you've seemed rather spaced out during the past few days...but…then…I mean, just now…"

Misto flattened his ears slightly.

"Err…yeah. Well…that was…um…"

"Did we interrupt you…in the middle of something?"

"No…I mean…well, I was just…hmm…"

"Should we go?"

"Yes" said Misto jumping at the chance to see the back of them for now but then realised how eagerly he had jumped at the question, "I mean, maybe for a little while so I can finish up…I mean, not that I was doing anything but…what that was…uh…it was…"

Jemima held her paws up and shook her head slightly before cutting in,

"Say no more, you were obviously busy. We should have knocked. Sorry. Come on Victoria"

The satin-patched queen gently placed a paw on her friend's arm who didn't even flinch as she was touched. As Jemima tried to pull her away she simply stood there in a daze and when she didn't move the smaller queen used her other paw to almost drag her out of Misto's den. Had she not been completely white she certainly would have looked pale after having experienced a sight of her brother she had never expected and it was certainly an image that was going to scar her for a while to come.

As soon as they were out of sight Misto plastered his paws to his face before throwing himself back against the bed and curling up as tightly as he could whilst groaning shamefully. He simply wanted to die from embarrassment and he just couldn't imagine anything worse than his sister seeing him lost in his own little world of imaginary ecstasy. He was quite glad that she couldn't see into his mind and see the cause of his pleasurable moaning but even so he was utterly mortified over what had just happened. How was he ever going to live this down when she finally came around and arrived at the stage where she could tease him endlessly? She'd be reminding him of it for years as long as he hadn't scarred her too badly and he just wanted to evaporate into nothingness.

He then quickly ripped his paws away from his face exposing an angry expression and in his mind he yelled at the thought of Macavity that had been sat there for days,

'_Now your embarrassing me in front of my sister! Why can't you just go away?'_

Taking a deep breath he stiffly forced himself back up into a sitting position and supported his head with his paws as he hunched over. When was this all going to go away? It was really having an effect on him now and he desperately wanted to go back to his old life. He closed his eyes and groaned quietly again as he thought about how he also wanted the exact opposite of that and grimaced at his terrible indecision.

Macavity seemed to be there to stay despite him being gone for good. It was a weird, unsettling situation that Misto found even more strange and uncomfortable than it called for and even then as he sat on his bed in the dim light of his den his embarrassment started to melt away to be replaced with thoughts about the fiery tom he was so captivated with. He was well and truly mixed up and he just didn't know what to do.

* * *

Macavity paced back and forth in his bedchamber with a determined look on his face that was also lined deeply with thought. He was onto a brilliant train of thought at that moment and had been making progress in leaps and bounds as he thought through how he was going to fix the mess he seemed to be stuck in.

In the corner stood the henchcat named Gilbert who watched his master walk back and forth endlessly and as he did so he began to wonder whether or not the fiery tom was losing his marbles. He had been behaving incredibly strangely during the last few days and was nowhere near the suave, debonair individual that both he and the rest of the henchcats had come to know so well. Their master was usually so level-headed and was always on the ball when it came to quick thinking but now he seemed to be stuck on something that was driving him crazy and it gave the smaller black cat great cause for concern.

Still, what was he meant to do? He was still his master's servant and he wasn't about to step out of line and begin interrogating him to try and figure out what was wrong. He'd never dream of insulting his master by assuming they were on the same level and as such he continued to wait patiently for any sign of being needed. He would soon find that he would be waiting for a very long time.

As Macavity wandered back and forth he began to mutter quietly to himself and brought his paw to his mouth as he thought through the many things that fluttered through his mind. He knew one thing for certain: he wanted Misto and that he wouldn't feel normal again until he had him in some way. However, snatching him from his tribe probably wasn't the best idea in this case despite seeming like the easiest option. After all, now that the ball had gone and there were less Jellicles surrounding him he could easily sneak in one night and with the help of his henchcats gag and bind Misto in order to drag him back to his lair to keep as his own. He simply didn't feel that was the way to treat Misto though since the black and white magician was far too precious to be handled like the plunder from one of his heists. Misto needed to be handled like the finest jewels in the world and as such he'd never dare to tie up his beautifully crafted paws - and goodness were they beautiful. He remembered so vividly the ornamental quality of Misto's paw as he had rested it gently on the ground beneath him while he had been examining his cuts and even now he desperately wanted to reach out and hold it in his own. Surely it would be the softest, most wonderful feeling paw he'd ever have held and the thought of doing so stirred something within him that made him feel almost giddy.

The fiery tom shook his head as he realised the thoughts that were clouding his mind and did his best to ignore them while concentrating on the other thoughts he'd had a moment ago. Yes, Misto was beautiful but how was he going to get him? He had decided he wasn't going to snatch him out of the blue but that meant he had to find some other way of having him. It would be so wonderful if he could tempt him to come of his own free will but what was the likelihood of him being able to pull that off? Not very likely it seemed and he was almost to the point of abandoning the idea before he had another flicker of thought.

What if he hypnotised him? He was, after all, incredibly gifted with hypnosis and it wouldn't take much to grip his mind and manipulate him like a ragdoll. He could make Misto do whatever he wanted and the tom couldn't do a single thing about it; in fact, he wouldn't even know it was happening and so he wouldn't even object. It was a perfect idea and he had no idea why he hadn't thought of it sooner.

'_It's not right though' _said his mind quite clearly through the mixture of thoughts that filled it and after a few seconds Macavity's gleeful expression soon faded back into the engrossment it had been displaying a moment ago. He simply couldn't hypnotise Misto, that would defeat the object. He wanted Misto exactly as he was in his pure, natural perfection and he didn't want to make him into some obedient, mindless drone. He was fascinated with Misto because of his character and he wanted to know so much more about him; he couldn't do that if he put him under and the idea quickly found itself scrapped.

So what to do now? He was quickly running out of ideas and found himself becoming increasingly more desperate for some kind of clarity. He wanted Misto badly; he wanted to touch him, to smell him, to look into his eyes and to connect with him. Why was that so impossible? He knew where he was, he knew how to get to him and he knew how to see him without being seen himself. In fact he could probably even meet him and manage not scare the life out of him straight away giving them just enough time to talk. He could put on his incredibly gentletomly, suave demeanour and have him eating out of the palm of his paw if he wanted, after all he'd done it to many a cat before that one tiny little magician and it didn't seem to be too difficult to accomplish. Why then could he not just make himself go and do it? He felt like an adolescent without a clue of how to talk to a cat he was interested in and he was totally lost for explanation as to why he couldn't just make himself go and do it. It was almost as if there was some kind of barrier that stopped him from treating Misto like any other and had no idea why it was there blocking him from the only cat he'd ever felt this way about. How could it be that the one cat he felt most connected to in his whole life he knew nothing about and couldn't find a way of making himself go and talk to him? It seemed impossible and in his frustration he walked over to a beautifully decorated vase sitting nearby and smashed it to pieces in one foul swoop.

The red tom stood there panting angrily as Gilbert came rushing across to start picking up the pieces at his feet and after a few moments looked down to watch his servant as he worked.

"Sorry about that" he said stiffly as he felt the rage start to slip away.

"It's no problem, sir"

Macavity closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead firmly as he tried to align his senses once more and finding it - as usual during this ordeal – quite impossible.

"Gilbert, when you're done with that would you mind bringing me some camomile tea?"

"Yes, sir. Right away" said the black tom as he rose and dismissed himself leaving his master standing alone with only his annoying thoughts as company. He turned himself slowly with his paw still at his forehead and paced over to his bed to sit down on its edge. He was still so tired and he wished he could put everything on hold even for a second so he could allow himself the rest he so desperately needed. His body still ached and now that his paw felt a little sore from smashing the vase it felt that simply everything was going wrong. That day was definitely going to be a bad day but it wasn't such a big deal since the last few seemed to measure up just as badly.

Sighing, he continued to sit quietly as his thoughts took hold of him again and made him wonder what he ought to do. Again he felt the begrudging annoyance of indecision and frustration begin to take hold of him and he would have allowed his anger to boil up again had he not been stopped all of a sudden by a tiny little thought that popped out of nowhere. Immediately he straightened himself up and fixed his eyes forward with a curious look on his face as he wondered if he'd gotten what he was thinking correct. Could it be that maybe he had thought of a way to solve his problem? It seemed like it and as he thought he felt a sly smile begin to grace his lips as it became clearer and clearer.

He'd been obsessing for so long over not having Misto and ending up frustrated for not thinking of ways to have him that he'd completely missed one vital avenue of thought that led him to where he was now. Had he been in any kind of rational state of mind he most certainly would have come across it sooner and he felt almost ashamed that it had taken this long for him to do so. The idea was simple and it seemed so perfect that he even felt the urge to laugh as he mulled it over and decided that it was definitely the right thing to do.

He wanted Misto, that was a given. He didn't have to go to him and whisk him away in an instant though, did he? No, he was after all a clever cat and could be much more tactical with this sort of thing. It was also true that he still didn't know much about Misto but rather than run in without a clue of how to handle himself he could gather some information in one very simple way: spying. He was quite the master of remaining unseen and he was most definitely capable of peeking in on Misto's life whilst keeping him perfectly unaware of being watched. This way he could learn about the cat he desired so deeply and then devise a much clearer way of approaching him. Then he could have him as his own, at least for a little while until he grew weary. Then again, would that ever happen? Misto seemed far too special and if there was no one more beautiful than he then what would be the need to get rid of him? If he was very careful then Macavity knew he could convince Misto to stay with him for as long as he desired and then he could have his fill in whatever way he wanted. He was an expert at manipulating cats and Misto seemed like the greatest toy he could be given. As such he could provide himself with untold entertainment for as long as wanted and then do away with him if he desired.

It all seemed so perfect and without even thinking he rose from his bed and began to walk forward.

When Gilbert returned to the bedchamber a few minutes later with a steaming hot cup of tea for his master he found just an empty space but with the unmistakeable chill of his master's former presence.

* * *

**Here would be a good place to take a break if you wish.**

* * *

Misto stood at his doorway trying to find the courage to go through it. He'd been there for a few minutes now trying to figure out exactly how he was going to behave when he came out on the other side and had gone to take a step before pulling his leg back several times now. He still felt that horrible feeling of embarrassment inside him that made him cringe whenever he thought about that look that had been on his sister's face and he simply had no idea how he was going to handle seeing her again so soon. He supposed he could just pretend that awkward moment hadn't happened and he knew that such treatment of the situation would be most comfortable for everyone involved but he simply didn't know whether she'd feel the same. Sure, they were just as much friends as they were siblings but when it came to seeing your brother writhe around in untold pleasure there was a certain wrongness that was more prominent than any other label that could be applied to the awkward matter.

Still, he had to get on and despite how horrible biting the bullet would be he had to push through and hope that the sheer discomfort of the ensuing confrontation with his sister wouldn't actually push him over the edge and make him literally die of embarrassment. With a deep breath and a fixed stare he forced himself over the threshold and stepped out into the afternoon sunshine and looked out into the clearing where he now stood. Looking backwards and forwards it seemed that he might have been in the clear from having to face the white queen straight away but as he turned himself further he found he was wrong.

High up on the junk across from him she sat with Jemima with the same expression on her face as she had shown in his den that short time ago. Misto could see Jemima was talking to her and seemingly trying to snap her out of it but it appeared to be having little effect. Victoria looked like she had seen a ghost and Misto could swear he felt his body begin to seize up as he let yet another wave of humiliation wash over him. He knew there was no point in running away from it though and the sooner he could get the awkward explanation out of the way the sooner they could get on the path to being able to look each other in the eye again. So, with legs that felt heavier than lead the black and white magician began to slowly walk over to the pair and then began to ascend the junk to sit with them. When he arrived at the peak of the pile he did his best to look as normal as he could and tried his absolute best not to sound guilty or otherwise like he'd done something wrong.

"Hi" he said quietly as he turned his body to sit and made sure not to look either of them directly in the eye.

"Hi" replied Jemima as she imitated his awkward actions.

"I…uh…thought I'd better come out and get some air"

"Good idea…I guess"

Misto screwed his eyes shut and decided there was point in beating about the bush and with a strained breath attempted to tackle the necessity of clearing up his mess.

"So, what you saw back there…it was nothing really…I was just somewhere else"

"I bet you were," said Jemima with quite the 'no kidding' tune to her voice.

"Yes, well, I'm done with that now and I promise it won't happen again"

"Misto, whatever you do when you're on your own is your business and next time we'll make sure to make ourselves known before we enter your den, right Victoria?"

The white queen between them didn't alter her line of sight but did endeavour to nod meekly.

"Okay…thanks," said Misto feeling his cheeks start to burn again

"Okay then"

"Okay"

There was a short silence before Jemima did what they were all hoping for and changed the subject.

"So, what's been with you the past few days?"

"What do you mean?" asked Misto cautiously

"I mean, why are you acting so strangely?" There was another pause before she added, "More than usual"

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Well, you're quieter, you're not darting around and popping up here and there like you tend to do and you spend all day just staring at nothing. What's that all about?"

Misto tried to think of something to tell her but came up with nothing quickly.

"I, uh, don't really know. I've just got a lot on my mind"

"Well, you should probably try and forget it. It's making you much stranger than you should be"

'_Would that I could, Jemima' _thought Misto before speaking,

"Yeah, I suppose you're right"

"So, what is it?"

"What's what?"

"What's gotten you so transfixed?"

Again Misto could think of nothing and gritted his teeth as he felt his secret start to get encroached upon. He wanted to tell but he just couldn't see any way of it going down so well.

"I'm not sure"

"You're not sure?" she asked with a raised eyebrow

"I…suppose that there's so much going through my head that I don't really know where to begin and it's all merging into some strange, grey mess"

"I see"

Misto finally turned to look at her and curiously asked,

"You do?"

"Well, no, not really. I suppose I just understand that you're always a bit loopy and go off on weird mental trips"

Misto turned away and nodded as he tried to hide the disappointment he felt inside. Despite how much he always tried to give the others the real impression of himself he always seemed to inadvertently convey that he was either mad or just very strange and although he managed to convince them somehow that he was incredibly cool he nonetheless felt slightly saddened that the sentiments of strangeness towards him were always lurking somewhere below the surface in their minds. It only served to give rise to the feeling that no one truly understood him and he so wished that he could find someone that could. Leading even further than that the feeling stoked his current problem of an obsession with a dangerous cat that he assumed might just see him more clearly than the others and he knew such thinking couldn't have been healthy. Sighing, he decided to expend some energy on a reply,

"I'm not crazy," he said quietly

"I know," she said in the same airy way, "But you are a bit odd sometimes"

"Hmm"

Jemima watched him as he slumped where he sat and couldn't help but feel sorry for him in regard to his unfortunate current fixation. If he didn't understand then she knew she certainly wouldn't and decided the only help she could really offer was simple and hopefully efficient,

"So you really don't know what's gotten you so confused?"

Misto shook his head.

"Well then, I guess you should try and do something to distract yourself"

"I have been trying," he said feeling a bit put out, "Nothing seems to work"

"Have you really been trying hard enough?"

Misto turned to her with an annoyed look on his face and didn't really know what to say to her.

"I think so"

"Maybe you should get out of here. After all you've just been sitting around and moping for ages now and I bet what you need is a change of scenery"

Misto let his head lull and groaned pitifully at the suggestion of actually doing something. He was feeling really quite lethargic and didn't fancy doing anything too physical even if it was for his benefit and for the clarity he'd been wishing he had.

"I don't want to" he said grumpily

"Come on, it'll do you good"

"But…ugh…" he moaned as he let the rest of his body flop back and lay sprawled on top of the junk.

"Well, you're no use to us as the damp old sock you're being right now and the sooner you get over whatever it is that's bothering you the better. You're much more useful as a hyperactive brain box than you are a lazy, distant mute."

"But-"

"Come on, just do it! Get up and get out of here!"

"I don't want to" he groaned

"I don't care, it's for the best, right Victoria?"

The white queen still stared intently forward but managed the same nod she'd been capable of earlier. Misto saw this and after a moment of internal resistance eventually forced himself to get up and sloppily began to climb down from the junk pile they were on. As he went he moaned and groaned continuously until he reached the junkyard floor and when he got there dramatically flung himself around and began to slowly storm across it towards the junkyard entrance. On his way out he passed Munk who called after him as he went,

"Hey, Misto, is everything alright?"

"Fine!" said Misto moodily as he battled with his desire to just go back to his den and bask in thoughts of Macavity.

Munk watched as the black and white tom carried on all the way up until he was out of the junkyard, turned a corner and was out of sight. The silver tabby shook his head slightly as he thought about how strange he had been acting during the past few days and made a note to talk to him later. If there was something bothering him then he knew he'd have to sort it out somehow, after all it was his duty to keep everything in order and that even meant Misto's psyche – if indeed it could be kept in order.

* * *

It was a beautifully sunny afternoon with softest of breezes gently rustling in the trees and many a colourful flower in full bloom in the warm summer air. Birds sang happily as the day went on peacefully with not a single thing to care about and truly it was what summer days were meant to be. What kind of horrible, bone-chilling spectre could ruin this perfect, picturesque day that seemed to be unbreakably beautiful?

In an instant, that very thing happened and in a small park near to the Jellicle junkyard a tiny rabbit that nibbled on some of the long grass stopped dead and looked behind itself stricken with a sense of warning. It seemed that even the birds in the trees had stopped singing within a split second and as silence descended on the quiet, sleepy park so too did the reason for it fly through faster than anyone could have seen it. Macavity hurried into a bush and out of sight of anyone that might have had even the faintest chance of laying eyes upon him and through the foliage peered out sinisterly whilst plotting where he was going to dart to next. He hated travelling around in this manner but during the day it was the only real way of getting to anywhere without being seen. He much preferred the night as not only was it easier to slink around like a ghost but he could also make himself appear more fearsome. It was something about the way the light from the moon hit him and reflected off of him that gave him just that little bit of extra fierceness and he most certainly wasn't objected to being aided by nature in his quest to spread terror and advance his lawless ventures.

Still, now it was daytime and he had to move in short, rapid bursts so even if he was seen the onlooker wouldn't be able to determine exactly what it was they had laid their eyes upon. Unfortunately for him it left him rather out of breath and meant he had to stop frequently and take a moment to regain enough spring in his step in order to dart off again. It was a strange problem since he considered himself to be an incredibly healthy cat and it was quite true that to look at him was to see near enough physical perfection. Yet still, there it was.

At that moment in time he begun to pant more slowly and felt his heart begin to calm down again and throughout his entire recovery time he had been looking out for where to run to next. Clear thought was becoming a bit difficult to hold onto though as despite trying to force himself to carry out every part of his plan to the letter he was becoming increasingly excited at seeing Misto again. In just a short while he'd be able to look upon the beautiful tom and take in his unmatchable gorgeousness while basking in the sheer elegance and grace he radiated just by existing. From what he remembered every one of Misto's actions – even his flailing and falling over – had been done with expert refinement and it only drew the fiery cat even further in to the spell Misto seemed to be putting him under. As he imagined what he looked like Macavity felt a shudder shake his body and had to take a moment to steady his mind and concentrate on his plan once more.

Continuing to peer out from the bush he crouched in he spotted a small tree at the entrance of the park and without a second thought flew out of his current hiding place and over to it. Once at the base he sunk his claws into the bark and scarpered up into the branches and out of sight once more. Once again he stopped to pant but didn't really notice since from up here he could see the junkyard just a short way down the street from where he was. He could barely contain his elation as he felt his scheme come together and nearly exploded as he thought about how close he was to seeing that black and white angel again.

Closing his eyes he savoured the feeling of joy and satisfaction that he had been imagining when thinking about Misto and tried to think back to that moment when he'd first been with him. Those few short minutes had shown him that to be with Misto was to feel amazing and he simply couldn't wait to take in his beauty a second time.

His blissful thoughts were interrupted when he heard a mumbled grimacing become slowly louder and it only took him a moment to realise there was cat coming his way. In an instant he found himself getting very annoyed at the rude disruption of his thoughts and he opened his eyes and swivelled his ears to find out where this inconsiderate cat was. Looking around he found much of his view was obscured by the thick covering of leaves attached to the tree he was perched in but he could make out the pavement that ran along the edge of the street on the other side of the park fence down below. As he craned his neck to look down to try and see this intruding cat he quickly came to the realisation that it was probably one of those bloody Jellicles out doing his or her stupid bidding. Why were they always getting in his way at times like these and why couldn't they just stay put in their junkyard and out of everybody's way?

Feeling himself grow angry at having to hide out until the blasted cat passed by he neglected to feel the tiny but growing sensation of tingling ignite within him. It started off so small that he didn't even feel it and as he concentrated more and more on the cat below so to did he continue to ignore the wonderful feeling that was trying to get his attention. If he had paid any notice he would have known what the feeling was since it was that same feeling he'd felt those few days ago on that fateful morning and had been relishing right up until that point.

Scrunching up his face in silent annoyance the Napoleon of Crime reached his paws in front of himself and carefully grabbed some of the small branches in order to part them and get a good look at this bothersome feline as he passed by. However, what suddenly came into his view was certainly not what he had been expecting and sent such a wave of shock through him he nearly lost his grip and plunged to the ground.

Instantly he was knocked head over heels and felt his heart leap up into his throat at the wonderful image before him and straight away felt such a huge surge of energy explode inside him that he just couldn't do anything other than look down and marvel in complete and utter awe. Truly there was no sight more breathtaking and it made every single fibre of his being sing. There, walking past on the pavement of the quiet street was the one and only Magical Mister Mistoffelees in all his spectacular radiance and the sheer power Macavity suddenly felt inside his body was jaw dropping. He had no clue as to why but the same connection they'd shared when the cat had laid his paws on him was most definitely binding them together and whilst he had no answers to the questions he had about what was going on he simply couldn't care less. Misto was utterly staggering in every sense of the word and it carried on filled Macavity with wonder and fascination until he simply could hold no more within him.

Letting himself fall forward but grabbing onto a nearby branch so he could hang out like a monkey swinging on a vine he simply dangled he basked in the sight of Misto as he walked quickly past. On his face he showed pure contentment and as he let the image of Misto overcome him he felt his entire body become like jelly – aside from his paws of course which still clung to the tree from which he hung. He had what he wanted now and it was absolutely brilliant.

Down below on the pavement, Misto walked along nearly stomping as he passed by in a grump and felt rather annoyed at what he had been hoodwinked into doing by Jemima. He didn't really want to be out there in the sunshine and getting all hot and bothered when he could be in his den thinking about Macavity. Being mostly covered by black fur certainly had its disadvantages in weather such as what was he was currently being exposed to and while the sun gave his fur a curious and mystical sheen he nonetheless felt his body being baked beneath his dark coat. It was when he once again thought more closely what the alternative to it was that he suddenly lost some of his annoyance and thought about his sister who was still most likely sitting and staring blankly with an unsettled look about her. He didn't want to have to go back and face that and so he stopped there on the street, closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself.

As he stood without moving and simply listening to what was going on around him he suddenly became rather curious when he heard not a single sound he might have expected. It was too quiet for a day like that and something most certainly was different but as he opened his eyes again and looked around he couldn't quite put his finger on what that difference was. He allowed himself a moment to feel confused – a feeling he wasn't usually forced to deal with apart from recent events' obvious effect – and he leant so much brainpower to trying to find an explanation for the queer situation that he didn't notice the tiny yet distinctive tingle that he remembered so well from his moment with Macavity once again begin to heat up somewhere deep inside his body.

After a few moments more he shrugged it all off and decided it was simply his mind making him think too much of things due to recent occurrences affecting his psyche. That was the very reason he was out here: to try and take a breather and find some clarity in his otherwise mixed up life as of late and as such he put it all out of his mind and carried on walking only this time without the same air of grumpiness about him. He was going to be happy Mistoffelees from this point onwards and although most of his mind wanted him to be confused, frustrated Mistoffelees he wasn't going to allow it to overcome him. He knew he had been dwelling for too long on this whole Macavity lark and now that it was putting him in embarrassing situations he knew it was time to put an end to it.

As the black and white tom walked away the other red tom who hung from the tree high above where he had been leant out to try and follow him with his eyes for as long as he could. He simply could not believe how amazing Misto looked at that moment and wanted to savour every last second. When Misto finally left his sight he pulled himself back into the tree and flopped down on his back on top of the branch upon which he had been crouching. There he closed his eyes and panted slowly as he let the feeling of contentment wash over him from having done what he'd been so desperate to do for days and even went so far as chuckling slightly as it filled him with joy. That perfect cat had lived up to the reputation he had formed for him in his mind in its entirety and simply to look at him gave Macavity the satisfaction he had been craving.

'_Follow him!' _

Macavity sat up slowly with a thoughtful look on his face at that sudden flicker of thought. He had been sure that he could return to being the cat he usually was now that he'd had his fill of the magician but as he thought about it he felt that very satisfaction he'd just been filled with start to slip away. No sooner did he feel it did he also experience his desire to gaze at Misto grow once again and after a few seconds had gone by he found himself right back in the place he'd been only five minutes beforehand. Misto was still so close and it would be so easy to keep watching him from afar. Through all of the other thoughts which began to fly into his mind he knew above all of them that he so desperately wanted to do just that and take in every one of the works of art which were Misto's actions. He tried to tell himself 'no', he tried so very hard but before he even realised what he was doing he was on his paws and beginning to climb down from the tree to start stalking. Maybe he was overly-obsessed, maybe he was ill but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't figure out why he had no control over following Misto or of drinking him in and even more so why he simply didn't care.

* * *

Walking along the quiet streets Misto turned a few corners and eventually found himself strolling along a rather picturesque row of houses with gardens that were incredibly ornate and brimming with flowers. As he breathed in the warm air he smelled the sweet scent of those flowers hanging in it and smiled as his senses were filled. Despite being quite warm he really liked summertime but then again it seemed there wasn't a single season he didn't like. Every part of the year brought with it such interesting changes and while many of his tribe mates didn't take half as much interest in them as he did he still liked to wander around and take in all the new sights and smells that the different seasons brought. During summer in particular he loved the vibrant colours that seemed to be absolutely everywhere and even now when he ambled along he found himself most pleased with the prettiness of the life that surrounded him. It was a quality – the appreciation for all things natural - that he'd possessed for longer than he could remember and even though it sometimes contributed to his image of being a rather odd cat he didn't really care. There was something so interesting to him regarding nature and while he had read an awful lot into it he never failed to find that strange, mystical quality that could be found in everything living. It was a kind of power that was not at all like his magic and as such it completely fascinated him.

He stopped and stared intently when he saw a butterfly flutter out of a cluster of flower heads and wondered what to do with the sudden desperate urge to catch it that began to scream within him. Usually he was able to control himself when it came to chasing things but today there was something else going on inside that really made him want to capture the tiny creature. It was the most kittenish of desires because he knew there was absolutely nothing he could do with it once he had it but still for some reason he really wanted it and decided not to resist the temptation.

Jumping after the butterfly he threw his paws into the air to try and grab it and felt glee surge through him as it dodged and darted out of his way. Without missing a beat he swiped again and again and was soon following the butterfly as it fluttered along the pavement and over garden fences. On his face was plastered a big smile and a hungry look of ambition as he chased the small, white-winged insect happily and before he knew it he knew it he lost sight of the creature and fell down in the middle of a lawn laughing to himself. He was behaving incredibly childishly but he just didn't care since it felt so great to escape from the firm concentration he usually tried to uphold.

It slowly dawned upon him that the usual sounds of summer were absent in this garden just like they had been on the street a short while ago and he paused to think just how odd it was. Looking up at the sky he looked around for any sign of the weather changing but found only pure sunshine to be streaming back at him with not even a flicker of suggestion of rain. It was certainly a strange thing for there to be a distinct lack of noise and as he let it carry on he even went so far as feeling slightly chilly despite the high temperature. Once again he was so absorbed by the strangeness of the situation that he failed to recognise the distinctive tingle somewhere deep down inside and as such let it pass by whilst its cause incidentally lurked nearby.

From within some thick shrubbery at the opposite end of the garden, a pair of deep green eyes gazed at the amazing little magician as he flounced about and then plopped down on the grass. There was a certain quality possessed by his movements that Macavity couldn't quite put his finger on but what he could most definitely deduce were wonderful from the feeling he experienced by watching them. He didn't know exactly why but it seemed that simply by experiencing Misto's demeanour made him feel warm inside and while such a feeling would usually make him vomit he basked in it now as he observed the object of his desire. Misto seemed so playful and so joyous and Macavity so wished he could join him and share the delight he seemed to be experiencing just by playing in the sunshine. He wanted to be near Misto again and as he felt his heart long to be beside him he began to feel the same glow he had felt the morning they had first met and revelled in its all-encompassing glory. It made him feel so strong and as if he could do anything in the world. Anything, that was, aside from actually reveal himself from his hiding place and approach the tux.

That was the only thing wrong with this situation: he simply couldn't step out into the sunlight and walk up to Misto. He couldn't figure out why but the very act of doing so was an impossibility and despite how much his heart begged him to do it he just couldn't make himself follow through. All he could do was hunker down in the undergrowth and watch the amazing tom like a lion stalking its prey and that very metaphor as it popped into his mind made him feel incredibly dirty. Misto didn't deserve to be secretly gawped at with hunger and the thing that made Macavity feel worst was that he knew he couldn't pull himself away if he wanted to. He needed this and there didn't seem to be a single thing he could do to put a halt to it and in the back of his mind an epic battle ensued between wishing he could ditch these obsessive thoughts and his desire to stay. That, and the feeling of being a truly sick individual for doing what he was doing plagued his mind and made him feel like dirt.

The internal strife Macavity felt dragged on him horribly and it made him feel rather differently to how he had been feeling in the previous few days. Where before he'd usually resorted to frustration and anger directed towards himself he now had Misto in plain sight and that coupled with being so close but still not having him made him actually feel quite depressed. He wanted Misto so badly; not romantically or sexually by any means but instead like the desire for ice on a hot summer day or like a warm blanket in the middle of winter. It was a deep, primal need and the emptiness Macavity had become aware of that resided within him seemed to need Misto and only Misto to fill it.

Staring out still he watched Misto as he pushed himself up off of the ground and began to wander around the garden. The tom had an airy, dreamy look on his face that to Macavity seemed most endearing. On others it may have looked rather silly and airheaded but Misto seemed to pull it off with a look of sophistication that only he could manage. It was incredibly attractive and Macavity found himself smiling as he appreciated the fine feline he beheld.

Misto slowly stepped along without any real plan of action and continued to take in the beauty of his surroundings. This really was a well-kept garden and the human owner must have definitely put in a lot time to keep it in such a fine state. As he ambled along he passed many an interesting plant and small ornament and enjoyed letting his thoughts be concentrated on something other than one particular cat and nothing else. It was a welcome break but even as he did his best to carry on he felt those very thoughts lurking somewhere beneath the surface. He ignored them for the most part though and decided that now was not a time to be obsessing over anything apart from the clean, relaxing feeling of a clearer mind.

Turning around abruptly he lazily scanned what was behind him before he suddenly focused on something that made his face brighten in delight. Without hesitating he hurried over to a large trellis in a corner of the small garden and stopped in front of it with a look of pure, plainly expressed delight. Standing tall in front of him was a large plant weaved into the criss-crossing wood of the structure and at the end of each of the thick, thorny stems were large bouquets of white roses. White roses, as it happened, were Misto's favourite flower and had been since before he could remember. He knew that queens more commonly held a preference such as that but he didn't care. White roses, for some reason, he found simply fantastic and had always wondered exactly why he felt that way about them. Maybe it was because they were so intricate in their beauty but also so pure and clean that he was fond of them or maybe it was because he made some kind of comparison between their look of mysticism and himself but whatever the reason was he didn't really care as above all he knew one thing and that was that he loved them.

Gently stepping forward he raised himself up on his toes to position his nose near one of the heads and once balanced took a deep, slow breath of the sweet scent it released into the air. The beautiful fragrance filled his senses and made his head swim as he took it all in and as he breathed out – quite effeminately perhaps – he sighed softly at the relaxed and pleasant feeling he felt inside. He was being incredibly queenly, he knew that very well, but he didn't mind since he was quite sure that nobody could see him and was happy to let his guard down in his moment of contented solitude – or so he thought.

From across the garden Macavity watched every single second of Misto's appreciation for the roses and became incredibly curious as to the reason. To him they seemed just like any of the other flowers that were there and didn't seem to stand out at all – particularly since they where just plain white flowers. His tastes he considered a little more sophisticated than horticulture and he much preferred fine wines and works of art to things that might be considered quite delicate and gentle. He liked to see passion and power in the things he appreciated and he most certainly didn't feel things like that could be found in a garden. Nonetheless, Misto seemed to be engrossed in the rosebush and was quite clearly enjoying its simple yet elegant – he supposed – beauty. It was then that something clicked within Macavity and he felt he cottoned onto something in that simple thought alone. It seemed to him that the roses could be considered delicate and elegant and those were qualities he had been seeing in Misto. Maybe those things residing in Misto were naturally reflected in the simple, white roses and all of a sudden they didn't seem quite so pointless anymore. It was true that they were perfect and unblemished and if he knew one truth it was that those were the exact qualities he saw in the fascinating tom.

Dropping back down so he wasn't reaching up to reach the flower heads anymore Misto stepped back and looked at the bush in its entirety. This day was actually turning out better than he had expected and now that he'd taken the time to step away from his troubles and take a breather he found he actually felt better about himself. There was still a little nag inside him though that begged him to think about Macavity but it wasn't shouting as loud as had been earlier. If he'd taken just a few seconds more to let the thoughts brew he most certainly would have noticed the tingle due to a certain cat being close by yet out of sight. Any chance of that happening, however, was obliterated when a firm, eloquent voice rang out across the garden.

"Misto?"

The small tom turned around and looked back to where he could see a very familiar silver tabby perched on top of the garden fence he'd hopped over shortly beforehand and took a few steps in that direction as the interrupting cat jumped down to come towards him.

"Hi, Munk" he said without much emotion.

"I was wondering where you'd gotten to. I thought I might try and find you to see if you were alright," said Munkustrap as he stopped in front of Misto and looked down at him.

"Why should anything be wrong?"

Munk tilted his head forward and gave Misto a knowing look as is to say 'I think you very well know what's wrong' but the smaller tom found it funny instead of intimidating.

"You look like your dad when you do that."

"Really?" asked Munk with a hint of pride and smugness

"Yes, but I don't think you're old enough to pull it off just yet"

"I see. Well, anyway, when I saw your sister earlier she looked incredibly distressed. When I asked what was wrong Jemima told me it was better to be kept between you and she so I was wondering if it was anything that might need some intervention"

Misto had to will his cheeks not to turn red since the white fur on his face, though beautiful, let any hint of embarrassment he may have felt shine out like a lighthouse on a stormy night.

"No, I think Jemima was right."

"It's really that bad?"

"Horrible" said Misto trying not to remember the world-shatteringly embarrassing position he'd put himself in earlier that day, "but not a threat to safety"

"Right, well, I'll try not to worry too much about it"

"Okay"

"There was something I've been meaning to ask you though"

"Oh?"

"Yes" said Munk putting on his protector guise for a moment, "It's about the way you've been behaving these past few days."

"Right" said Misto feeling his stomach tighten a little and the sudden feeling of hotness. He hoped he'd be able to think of something to tell the tabby but whether his mind would respond quickly enough was something to be discovered.

"Yes. Ever since the ball you've been, if you don't mind me saying, incredibly quiet and not behaving at all like yourself. You've been sitting on your own and just staring at what seems like nothing in particular and it seems like something's up"

"Okay…" said Misto awkwardly hoping Munk would talk himself out of the situation.

"I was wondering if anything's bothering you at all. Anything that might have happened?"

Munk gave Misto one of his usual deep looks and while he meant nothing by it, Misto at that moment interpreted it as if the tabby really knew exactly what had happened and was waiting for him to say it first. Straight away the tux felt the fur on the back of his neck stand on end and his tail attempting to lash back and forth as he felt he'd been found out but then gulped and told himself internally to calm down since there was no possible way Munk could have known unless he'd been spying on him that morning. That wasn't the tabby's way and so Misto did his best to look innocent.

"There's nothing" he said as plainly as possible, "I've just been a bit tired since then and haven't really felt like doing much"

"That seems a bit strange for you"

"How so?"

"Well, usually you're always running around doing something or other and whatever it may be that you'll be up to it always looks rather animated. To see you hanging around doing nothing has made us all a little curious. Demeter's been asking after you as it happens and she told me that most of the others have noticed. Are you sure there's nothing that might have caused you to stop being so lively?"

Misto thought fast and clenched his teeth nervously before replying,

"It's just…the ball took a lot out of me and I suppose I just haven't been up to getting back into a routine yet. Not that I ever really had one…"

"Exactly" said Munk with a sterner look that bore into Misto and made it incredibly difficult for him not to spill his guts then and there.

"I'll probably be better by tomorrow" the smaller tom said quickly, "I think I'll go to bed early and make sure I recharge properly so by the morning or evening or whichever part of the day it is I get up I'll be back to normal"

"Alright" said Munk with a clear sense of alternative thought in his voice and a hint of doubt. "But you know that if there was something troubling you could tell me and I could sort it out for you, don't you?"

Misto looked back at him and connected with his eyes for a second which seemed to penetrate his very soul.

"I do, Munk…thank you for…that"

Munk nodded and let his naturally intimidating demeanour rest. Stepping back slightly he turned and gestured for Misto to follow.

"Okay, good" he said, "Now, come on, let's go home"

"Alright" said Misto in a low, slightly uncomfortable voice and began to walk off with Munk in the direction of their junkyard. It only took a few moments but soon they were on the other side of the fence and strolling along the street back the way they had come. It was only then that the fiery coloured cat that had been watching them intently from his hiding place and hanging on every word that was said came out to look at the spot where they had disappeared.

Macavity gazed longingly for a few moments before he turned his face away and plonked down on the grass where he stood. Now that Misto had gone he let the magnitude of what he'd just seen wash over him and it felt completely incredible to spirit the essence of that cat rushing through him. The wonderful little tom had been right in front of him and he could still feel him hanging in the air like the sweet smell that radiated from the flowers. Every moment had been pure mystery and as his head swam he revelled in the sensation that still warmed his heart and seemed to hug him from every angle.

Surely he'd had enough now. Surely he'd had enough of viewing Misto and had taken in enough of his beauty to absolutely and completely satisfy his desperation and so too could he now return to his normal life without pesky thoughts of some magician clouding his mind.

'_No'_

Even though he'd had his fill, even though he'd seen the cat he desired more than anything and even though he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do his mind along with his heart still stubbornly told him one thing: it wasn't enough.

Closing his eyes and letting out a sigh of incredible frustration he tried to come to terms with how he still wanted more and one again felt very weary from how much energy he'd expended on the matter. Once again he was going to have to feed his addiction for Misto that never seemed to be satisfied and with an angry groan he forced himself onto his paws once more. Why was even what he'd just done not enough to sate his appetite for the black and white cat he was captivated with? Why couldn't this dream of a nightmare end and let him have his normality back? It wasn't fair and he absolutely hated it but at the same time loved it more than anything he knew of and as he resisted the need to rip out his fur in desperation he spun himself around and glared at whatever there was to be glared at.

A sudden sharp pain shot through his abdomen and made him plaster a paw to his side until it faded away. He'd forgotten the injuries he'd sustained a few days ago and suddenly felt more annoyed that he'd once again had the Jellicle protector right in front of him and hadn't done anything to give him a piece of his mind. That wasn't the main thing that was worrying him at that moment though and he went back to concentrating on the twinge in his abdomen that had just hijacked his thoughts. He was getting better - that much was obvious - but he still had to watch out not to aggravate the stinging gashes as they healed. How he wished even more that he had Misto beside him again to place his paws on his body and take the pain away. That memory was bliss and as he remembered just how great Misto's magic had felt he realised just what a kind but at the same time crazy gesture – from the Jellicle point of view – it had been. For all Misto knew Macavity could have attacked him but still he went ahead and did it; but why? Out of kindness? Out of fascination? Out of morals? He couldn't tell. What he did know was that Misto had taken a big risk and done him a massive service that the fiery tom suddenly wanted to thank him for from the bottom his heart. It was strange since he never thanked other cats – aside from maybe his henchcats – but Misto deserved it and Macavity definitely wanted to let him know he appreciated what he'd done.

What to do though? Misto was, after all, a Jellicle and spent most of his time in that junkyard. He couldn't very well walk right through the entrance and deliver him a wrapped box with a bow on top; he'd have Munk on top of him in an instant and he really didn't fancy another skirmish with his brother until at least after his wounds had fully healed. So what could he do?

After a moment or two of thinking Macavity looked up with a blank mind and considered the rose bush Misto had been observing shortly before. He slowly walked over to it and looked around at the many different heads suspended from the stems in front of him whilst casually trying to find the same fascination the black and white tom had possessed a few moments ago and as his thoughts progressed he suddenly had a brainwave. Misto loved these flowers and seemed to be overjoyed when he'd happened upon them. Maybe these were the perfect gift to thank him for what he'd done.

Without stopping to give it a second thought Macavity quickly identified the rose he found most ornate and perfect and flicked a claw through the stem a few inches down from where the flower was. He caught the beautiful white rose carefully so as to avoid the thorns that stuck out almost menacingly and smiled as he became more and more absorbed by the thought that what he was doing was a really good idea. Misto definitely deserved something for what he'd done and Macavity felt brilliant about actually being able make contact with him again even if it was through a simple flower.

Spinning on his paws he charged for the fence, hopped over and began to make for the junkyard where he knew Misto would soon be arriving along with his uptight brother. He had no idea how he was actually going to get the rose to him but he didn't care. He'd figure that one out when he came to it and for now simply delighted in having a gift to give that cat he was most fond of.

* * *

The last few hours of the afternoon quickly passed and the evening soon arrived to bathe the junkyard in the usual hues of pink and orange as the sun set. Misto had returned earlier on to find his sister just coming out of her stupor and had managed to share a look with her that somehow brought them to a silent understanding over what had happened earlier. It seemed they had both agreed never to talk about it again and as he had gone over to her and Jemima and started chatting the awkwardness they all had been feeling slowly began to die away. Pretty soon they were speaking like they normally did with only a hint of discomfort lingering under the surface and when Tugger had come over to start pestering Misto in his usual manner they had all seemed to forget it entirely – or at least for the time being.

Tugger had decided on his own to spend the entire evening with Misto somewhat to the smaller tom's annoyance although they were still somehow friends and he didn't mind as much as he might have done if they weren't. It wasn't long before Misto found himself laughing at Tugger's antics and poking fun at his over-confident ways with the others and as such the evening came and went fairly enjoyably. By the time he was ready to go to bed Misto wasn't thinking at all about the cat that had affected him so deeply several days before and if he had taken the time to think about it he would have realised he was regaining the vague and aloof but also playful manner he usually sported. He was returning to the old Misto and whilst he didn't realise it he was nonetheless happy to get back to the way he used to be.

Lugging himself up the junk and into his den he tottered over to his bed and fell down upon it quite ungracefully. There he snuggled up and quickly found himself drifting off into a much more comfortable and less bumpy sleep and for the first time since his strange meeting with Macavity he actually slept well.

So well in fact that what happened while he was sleeping didn't disturb him in any way.

In the dead of night when every last one of the Jellicles had finally gone to bed and only Alonzo – Munk's second in command – remained awake to keep watch over the junkyard whilst everyone was sleeping, a certain spookiness descended upon the piles of twisted junk and brought with it a strange sense of mystery that hinted towards danger. Those familiar to it would have instantly been put on edge and known to keep hidden from the danger that approached but since nobody was about apart from one sleepy black and white patched deputy protector the change in the air entered the clearing unnoticed.

Macavity had kept himself hidden within the farther reaches of the junkyard until the sun had gone down and had plotted how he was going to get closer without being discovered. He had quickly realised that going through with this crazy idea during daylight would have been incredibly foolish and as such he waited until the witching hour before he began to make his move. Following the same trail that had lead him out of the junkyard those days ago he carefully and quietly made his way back in holding his gift for Misto delicately in his paws. In the darkness the white of the pristine petals still seemed to shine out and Macavity knew that it was the right thing to be doing despite being utterly ludicrous.

As he neared the clearing he hunkered his body down low and being careful not to damage the rose in his paws began to crawl up the back of one of the junk piles that made up the surroundings of the clearing in order to peek over and take a look at what was there. He smiled slyly when he found not a single hint of movement but then paused when he noticed Alonzo sitting atop the big tyre in a lazy daze. Taking a moment to think he knew that trying to get around him wasn't such a great idea as he'd probably run blabbing to Munk as soon he laid eyes on him. He'd have to get him out of there somehow, if only for a second, just to give him enough time to get to Misto. How though?

Turning his eyes away from the black and white tom for a moment he looked at his surroundings and tried to think of anything that he could do to create a diversion. It only took a couple of moments for him to lay eyes upon a broken, battered television laying in a heap of trash not too far from where he crouched and knew it was the perfect distraction. With minimal effort he gathered the energy within him and gently raised the broken appliance out of the junk in a very ghostly, mysterious fashion. He looked at it as it levitated in the air in front of him for a moment before sending it flying high over the clearing to the other side of the junkyard where it crashed down hard and made a huge racket that rung around like a bomb going off.

Instantly Alonzo was on his paws and looking in the direction of the sudden boom and in a flash he took off that way to investigate the disturbance. Macavity bit his lip to stop himself from chuckling and shook his head slightly before hopping over the junk he hid behind and silently climbed down to the junkyard floor. When he was there he stopped and looked around slowly trying to figure out where the cat he desired might be. Everything looked pretty much the same to him but fortunately he had a trick up his sleeve to assist him in his risky plan.

Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and listened to the feelings within him. As he stood there in silence he began to feel that tingle he experienced whenever Misto was close and as soon as he felt it become clear he tried as hard as he could to find where it was coming from. It was close – that was a given – but where exactly he didn't quite know. Taking a few steps around the clearing he tried to gauge whether or not the feeling changed in intensity at all and after a few steps backwards and forwards he began to feel as if he was discovering a direction.

Turning a little more he opened his eyes and scanned the junk that was in front of him to settle upon a pipe that jutted out from the haphazard piles in quite an imposing fashion. He stared at it for a moment as he felt the tingle grow stronger and then began to slowly step forward with an incredible look of intrigue on his face. Closer and closer he moved and as he did so he suddenly picked up the wonderful, dreamy scent of the tom he adored and felt his head start to swim as it overcame him. Misto must have been on the other side of wherever that pipe led and taking a moment to examine the opening he then ducked down and listened carefully to any sound that might have been radiating through. Somewhere in there he could hear the very gentle breathing of somebody sleeping and even by the very pattern of the soft breaths that emanated peacefully through the air he could tell it was who he was looking for. A smile suddenly plastered itself across his face and at the same time nervousness gripped his body as he anticipated being so close to Misto once more and taking a moment to steady his nerves he forced himself over the threshold and began to make his way through the pipe. It felt so bad and so dangerous but those were nothing compared to how fantastically exciting it was for him. This kind of spying was either brilliant or disgusting but he just didn't care for anything but being rewarded with the sight of the beautiful tom he knew was inside this den. Then this would be the last of it; surely this one last time when he gave Misto his gift would be enough to completely satisfy him. It had gone far enough now and this one gesture seemed like it could definitely be the one to end his obsession.

* * *

Inside the den Misto slept peacefully and remained unaware of the mysterious invasion of his privacy. Now that he had gotten his mind back on track there was no longer any nocturnal turmoil or rough sleeping with rocky dreams and as such he was able to completely relax his subconscious. It allowed him to lay there with the same elegance he performed most of his actions with when awake and the sight of him sleeping soundly was incredibly charming.

In the stillness of the den, all that could be heard was the sound of his gentle breathing in and out and there was not a single distraction from that highly peaceful and divine sonance which permeated through the air. Around the den all of his possessions sat neatly organised and in their places and the whole space reflected the harmony that could be seen in Misto at that moment. Only the faint light from the doorway provided any aid to viewing the surroundings but as everything remained just so a shadow was cast across that light which filtered in and all of a sudden the feeling of a presence in the den became thick and heavy.

In the corner where the entrance came through the junk which made up the wall the fiery-coloured tom reared up from crawling to get in and stood tall in the shadow which covered the corner like a thick veil. There he stood and looked across the den to where he could see a dark mass nestled amongst blankets and cushions upon which he assumed was a bed and as he observed the gentle rising and falling of the being's breathing he felt his heart leap into his throat as he stared on in awe at the truly wonderful cat that lay there. He couldn't see his face but he didn't have to in order to know that it was Misto who slept soundly just a few steps away from where he was.

Gently clutching the rose he still held in his paw he held his breath as he began to slowly pace forward towards the tux and as he did so he felt the tingle from earlier escalate into a mind-blowing swell of ecstasy due to the sheer excitement and wonder that began to rush through his body. With every step Misto's perfect body became clearer and in the cool, pale light it appeared as if his soft fur was made of strands of silk. Macavity's eyes roamed over Misto's firm yet gentle curves and the sheer sight of such handsomeness began to make him quiver with delight. As the feelings within him grew he felt the craving to look upon Misto's face scream louder than it ever had done before and he knew seeing its pristine beauty would surely be enough. Then he'd most definitely be satisfied and could hurry away into the night.

As he got closer and closer still to Misto he continued to make out the shape of his body and the distinct patterning of his fur played havoc with his mind and rattled every one of his senses. His artful shape was beyond any beauty he'd ever known and he suddenly felt the intense need to reach out and touch the object of his desire. He knew he couldn't do that though; he couldn't come this far and risk waking Misto up. He didn't want to frighten him or scare him away and even so he was still simply pleased just to observe him in all his all-encompassing glory. Within the cat that lay before him was so much power and intelligence and life and the sheer magnificence of it all both fascinated and filled him a warmth he'd never known.

He still couldn't see Misto's face though as he was still too far away to look past the pillow which obscured it. Macavity quickly closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself but it proved monumentally tricky as he experienced the shock of adrenaline surge through his veins and the hammering of his heart in his chest which with every shaky step he took seemed to quicken and grow more violent. He felt sweat begin to gather under his fur as the excitement and sense of danger grew magnificently inside him and he just couldn't stop himself from shivering as he anticipated what was about to happen. This was the moment when he'd be the most satisfied he could ever be and he knew it so deeply in his soul that the very thought made a flurry of emotions explode inside him. He held his breath again as he forced himself to slow his desperate breathing and plastered both his paws tightly against his face as he felt his desperation grow too much to handle. He stood there for a few seconds breathing heavily but silently as Misto carried on dreaming in front of him on his bed and as he felt the electricity that ran through his blood begin to calm down he started to feel a sharp pain in his paw. He opened his eyes to see the rose he had been clutching the whole time and realised what the pain was when he saw its thorns sticking through his fur into his skin. Gritting his teeth he unclenched his paw and took the rose into his other paw trying his hardest to ignore the sting from the sharp points and looked carefully down into the flower which was still just as beautiful as when he'd cut it. Looking over to Misto and taking in his body again the comparison of beauty seemed so incredibly apt and it only served to gratify his thought that this was the perfect present for the wonderful tux.

With one final deep breath and a huge burst of confidence he took the final step forward and beheld the splendour that was Misto's angelic face. Without being able to stop himself he felt his knees begin to shake as a purely unfathomable sense of joy erupted within him and as he dropped down to Misto's bedside in awe and fascination he clutched his paw to his mouth once again to hold back the cry of wonder and joy that begged to be let out. Misto was even more beautiful than he remembered and there simply weren't words to describe how he felt at that moment. For a moment his breathing stopped as he gazed worshipfully and it was only when he began to see stars that he suddenly gasped for air once again and went back to trying his hardest not to disturb the sublime creature that lay there.

He wanted to stay there forever just watching and taking in the delicacy of Misto and as he looked on he felt the undying need to touch him grow more and more prominent. He had to resist though, he had to resist placing a single finger on this beautiful cat and that, at that moment, seemed like asking himself not to breath. He had to force himself not to disobey his last shred of sensibility and as he battled with himself so too did he become aware that he couldn't stay for much longer. The thought of Alonzo returning from the diversion he'd created suddenly flew into his mind and as such he felt rather let down that he had to leave before he was discovered.

Looking down at his paw he slowly brought the rose he held in it once more into his view. He held it up in the dim light and rotated it slowly taking one more moment to take in its artistry before smiling solemnly and looking down at Misto again. The big tom sighed silently as he was hit once more with the smaller cat's enchanting face and gently began to lower the rose towards the bed. Delicately he placed it down at Misto's side and then stood to admire the two beauties lying side-by-side. They matched each other perfectly and Macavity felt incredibly smug that he'd managed to bring two things of such excellence together. He hoped Misto would like what he'd brought him and felt rather annoyed that he'd never know who it was from. He toyed for a moment with the idea of leaving a note but in the end decided that the rose alone was perfect since Misto would be able to wonder where it came from when he awoke and maybe he just might think of him as he did so.

Feeling pleased with himself, Macavity pushed his body to its paws making sure not to make even the tiniest of noises as he did so. Taking one last, long look he knew there were no words that needed to be said to the empty surroundings and like a phantom swept from the den. Misto was left alone in silence lying peacefully on his bed with the gift of the white rose from the Napoleon of Crime waiting for the morning to come so it could be discovered.

Outside in the night air Macavity dropped to his knees again and panted heavily with the hugest of smiles on his face. He'd done it! He'd actually gone through with it and managed to see Misto again in his truly outstanding exquisiteness! He was at the top of the world and he couldn't believe how amazing those few short moments had been. As he beamed brightly he chuckled quietly as the amazing feeling he'd received rushed around his body and he would have dropped all the way to the floor in a daze drunk on thoughts of Misto had he not heard a scuffling coming his way. In a flash he opened his eyes in a slight panic.

Without hesitating he jumped to his paws again and leapt up over the junk before belting towards the junkyard fence leaving behind only a mysterious sense of fear. As he sprinted away he couldn't deny the wonderful feeling inside and as such ran with a huge smile on his face that seemed to gleam as it was graced with the light from the stars above.

In the same sleepy haze as before, Alonzo popped his head up over the top of the junk and jumped down to the big tyre to resume his lookout once again. There had been nothing there which was surprising since the bang he'd heard had been undeniably huge. It puzzled him and made him worry slightly but he was feeling understandably a bit hazy and as such didn't want to worry about anything. Munk was the one that made a big fuss over such things and he wasn't about to allow himself to fall into the same trap. Besides, it had probably just been a rat or something making a junk pile give way. Surely there was no cause for alarm.

* * *

In another of the junkyard's dens two cats slept next to each other, one soundly and one tossing and turning in unconscious stress. With one big thrash the distressed queen bolted up from where she lay and sat on the bed with a look of horror on her face. Her mate, startled by the sudden shaking flickered his eyes open and looked up to see her panting gently and looking incredibly frightened and to see her there in such a state gave him great cause for concern. What's more it gave him great worry that something was wrong and straight away he jumped into his protector mode.

"Demeter? What's wrong, darling?" Munk said quickly

The black and gold queen continued to stare straight ahead nervously and only turned to her mate after a few moments of horrible distracted gazing. With fear in her eyes she put her paws on her mate and bit her lip nervously before replying in a shaky voice,

"I…I don't know…"

"Is something wrong?" asked Munk with the same urgency and feeling greatly disturbed by his mate's expression.

"I'm not sure…maybe" she said quietly before gulping, "It feels like…"

"Like…?" asked Munk when she didn't respond

Demeter looked into his eyes and formed the word with her mouth before saying it grimly with a flicker of fear,

"Macavity"

Munk didn't need to be told twice. In an instant he was up and out of the den running over to Alonzo who had gone back to lazing on the tyre and shaking him out of his stupor violently. In a flurry he told him what his mate had said and straight away they both went to red alert.

They spent the entire night patrolling together looking for any sign of the beastly cat but as dawn broke on the junkyard they soon found that neither one of them had come across even a hint of the evil cat's presence.

As the sun began to rise Munk returned to his den and his mate who sat silently on their bed waiting for him. Placing himself down next to her he took her paw in his and looked deeply into her eyes before quietly and calmly reassuring her,

"Macavity's not there"

**Holy Nyan Cat! That was freakin' LONG! If you got through it, well done! You have toiled long and hard to get to this point and so I will now share with you my recipe for eternal life (if I can find it…).**

**Thanks so much for reading. I never expected to top twenty thousand words but I guess these things happen! Lol. I hope I didn't bore you at all with my endless ramblings and I'd love to hear what you think.**

**I suppose now I best make a start with the next chapter and while it staggers me to think how I've barely finished what in my mind was the introduction to the story I'm still kind of excited to see where this will end up.**

**Thanks again for reading, next chapter will be up hopefully within the next week and a half. **

**Please review! Ciao. X**


	4. Inquisition

**Writing at night is a bad idea but it seems I have no other time to do it. Hey ho, we plough on!**

**So sorry this one took nearly two weeks to get out. I've been so busy and it's been so uncomfortably warm that I just haven't been able to write for periods as long as I usually do. Winter is very much the season to write when we want to stay indoors and keep out of the cold but now that it's so hot it's really hard to kick your imagination into gear. Nonetheless, I got it done in the end.**

**Also, as I say whenever I write with Mungo and Rumple I don't write how they speak phonetically since it's hard to read. Please just imagine their accents.**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 4**

**Inquisition**

Mid-August always brings around an undecipherable time of change to London. Depending on the pattern of the seasons it could be time of pleasant leaning towards uncomfortable heat or the slow realisation of the tiniest yellowing of the leaves on the trees giving rise to the suspicion of an early autumn. Many a well-seasoned individual may think to ignore such indicators as it always seems that September brings with it a much more pleasant set of emotions including the sustention of warmth whilst maintaining the visual changes of the transition to the third season. Still, the more curious tend to allow themselves to wonder during August and it seems to follow in every life form that lives through it. Both humans and animals notice subtle hints of a progressing year and even the trees and plants would wonder whether or not to start to fade away. This most certainly held true in the Jellicle junkyard and it was a place where both types of cat – the knowing and the curious – could be found entertaining their differing views with the latter usually expressing itself in the innocent and carefree minds and bodies of the kittens.

Following this pattern, it was on this morning that a gaggle of kittens could be found staring intently up into the sky as if they were waiting for something to drop out of it. They had been doing so for a short while before a ginger tom by the name of Skimbleshanks exited the den he shared with his mate and looked over to see them with their heads dropped back and gazing aimlessly up into the blue. Feeling wary as to their behaviour – knowing from past experience that such strangeness often led to odd insights of kittenish philosophy – Skimble tentatively stepped down from the entrance to his den and slowly made his way over to where they all sat quietly. As he neared so too did he glance up into the sky to try and see if there was anything they might have been focusing on but wasn't surprised to see nothing of particular interest there other than clouds and the big blue expanse. Turning back he looked down at their blank, staring expressions and cleared his throat to gather their attention.

Breaking their gaze each of the kittens looked down from the sky and over to Skimble who gave them all a reserved look of inquiry before he began to speak,

"Is there something up there I've missed?" asked the tom in his thick Scottish drawl that so often led to other cats misunderstanding him.

The kittens proceeded to look amongst each other momentarily before Pouncival – a brown and white kitten – piped up with their collective thoughts,

"We were wondering why it feels different today"

"What feels different?" asked Skimble with uncertainty

"It" the smaller tom replied

"What's 'it'?"

"Everything"

"What do you mean by everything?"

"Just…everything" chirped the small tom gesturing wildly with his arms to all of their surroundings and narrowly missing clonking Electra – a tortoiseshell queen kitten – on the side of the head. Skimble looked around to satisfy the kittens' desire for him to take a serious interest in their musings but then turned back and said,

"It all looks the same to me"

"But it's not!" cut in Etcetera – another queen kitten who looked similar to Electra albeit a little lighter. "Can't you feel it? Something's different"

"Well, how is it different?"

The kittens once again glanced at each other and when none of them could produce an answer turned back to Skimble blankly. There they sat for a few moments before the Scots tom spoke again,

"I see. Well, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about if indeed you're all right"

"We are!" cried Pouncival, "Look, Tugger will know! Tugger!" he shouted at the flashy tom who he could see emerging from across the clearing.

Without waiting the gaggle of kittens leapt up and began charging for the tom they seemed to be eternally impressed with.

The Maine Coon startled as he heard his name hollered and then grimaced as he saw the wave of kittens hurtling towards him and mentally braced himself for the impact that would be their barrage of babbling. Needless to say, it was Etcetera who had the hungriest look in her eyes and as per usual she didn't slow down when she approached him. Without even a hint of hesitation she blasted into him and wrapped herself around one of his legs before she beamed up excitedly as he looked down at her with an expression that was halfway between annoyance and smugness. It was true that he didn't particularly like being bugged by the kittens first thing in the morning but he very much enjoyed the awe they seemed to have for him as well as the way they treated him like a god.

"Hey, guys" he said as he felt a smile attempt to creep across his lips as he looked down at the kitten on his leg.

"Hi, Tugger!" squeaked Etcetera

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked as he began to tickle between the small queen's ears making her squeal even more.

"Tugger!" nearly yelled Pouncival grabbing onto his arm, "You can tell it feels different this morning, can't you?"

"What?" asked Tugger looking up

"It feels different, doesn't it?"

"I don't know what you mean," said the big, maned tom as he attempted to prise the kitten from his lower extremity.

"It feels different today!"

"What does?"

"Everything"

"What's everything?" asked Tugger as he managed to pull Etcetera off of his leg only for her to be replaced with Electra seconds later. Pounce looked at him in near disbelief over his blatant disregard of the difference in the air that he himself felt.

"Everything!" he blurted, "Come on!"

"I don't know what you're on about," said Tugger managing to shake off Electra and stepping away to prevent any more of them from latching onto his body. "Look, guys, I'm going. I've got things to do," he said before turning and trotting off before any of them could get another word in.

The gaggle of kittens was left alone with their feeling of change although with the distinct sudden reduction in interest by Electra and Etcetera who followed Tugger with their eyes until he was out of sight. As soon as he was gone they began blathering to each other about how amazing he was leaving the rest of the kittens to mutter amongst themselves until they had finished.

Across the clearing while this was going on, Munk emerged from his den and stopped near the entrance to look back into the dimness of the interior. He hadn't had the best of nights due to having been running around looking for Macavity who had in the end not been there. He was quite tired but hadn't allowed himself to go to sleep or moreover hadn't been able to fall asleep if he'd tried since Demeter had not conceded to believing that Macavity hadn't been in the junkyard and as such hadn't come off edge for a moment. This lead to where she and Munk were now and as the silver tabby waited he soon found his mate didn't come out from the den they shared. Ducking down again he peered in through the entrance and called out to her,

"Demeter? Are you coming, darling?"

There was some scuffling and hesitation but in the end the black and gold queen did delicately step into the light. Clutching the edge of the doorway she stuck her head out slightly and peered from side to side to make sure it was safe before turning to Munk and saying with a bit of a quiver,

"I don't know"

Munk blinked slowly and sighed quietly as he held out his paw to her,

"Come on, dear. I checked all over the place and I promise you he's not here"

"He might be though" she responded with a distinctly ominous sound, "he might be lurking somewhere out of sight"

"Well, can you feel him now?"

She was silent momentarily before quietly saying,

"No"

"Isn't that enough, then? Deme, I promise you that you're safe. Me and Alonzo scoured the entire junkyard and we didn't even find a trace of him"

"But…" she began before cutting off and looking down ashamedly,

"It was just a dream, a really bad dream that seemed real when you woke up"

"But that's just the thing, it did feel real, so very real and…"

"And?" asked Munk picking up on what seemed like her being stuck for words. He didn't like catching his mate out but he did want to bring her out of this rut of fear she seemed to be stuck in.

Demeter sighed and looked back at him not knowing what to do with herself.

"Will you stay with me? You know…just in case?"

Munk smiled back at her and reached out to take her paw.

"Of course"

With that Demeter took a deep breath and delicately stepped out of the den and into the fresh air. She felt so strange and nervous at the same time and didn't know how she was really meant to feel as she stood on the junk and looked out at the junkyard surrounding her. She had been so sure the night before that she had felt the cat that scared her so much and even now she didn't feel any less sure that what she had sensed had been real. The feeling of Macavity being nearby was so distinctive that it couldn't be mistaken for anything else and every time it filled her body – which was admittedly rare – she was cast back to those moments that had changed all of their lives forever. Those memories always left her with a chill and sent her straight back to the shock and horror of what had happened all those years ago and even as she unwillingly revisited them while she stood there on the junk she could still remember the way she had screamed in terror at the sight of those flames and the flickering of their light reflected on the body of that tom as he looked on at the hideous result of his fury.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?"

Demeter snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her mate who stood next to her. She could see he looked just as concerned as before but now had an extra look of worry about him as he looked at her. It didn't take long to figure out why as already she could already see that the sight of Munk was misty and as she blinked she delicately raised a paw to wipe away the moisture she hadn't realised had gathered in her eyes. Bringing it away she looked at that paw and blinked in surprise at her sudden haunting by those shadows from the past.

Closing her eyes and shaking her head she took yet another deep breath and exhaled it slowly as she tried to distance herself from the frightening memories. As she opened her eyes again she looked into Munk's and put both of her paws on his chest allowing him to wrap his own around her waist. Gently she nuzzled into the space beneath his neck and stayed there for a few moments just to feel safe. The silver tabby nuzzled her back as they stood there and simply let her do whatever she needed to do, after all he knew what horrible fear Macavity still cast into her and it was without a doubt what kept him extra vigilant as well as what fuelled the firm hatred he still held of his evil brother.

* * *

A little while later, Misto woke up feeling rather like a hot water bottle. That was to say the collected heat within his den warmed his fur snugly and encouraged him to remain as floppy as a ragdoll as he lay on his bed. As his dreams faded and conscious thought began to return to his mind he slowly came to the realisation that it was well and truly mid-morning by now and attempted to groan over his upset sleeping pattern. Usually he woke up much earlier than everybody else or at least what may have been considered early depending on the shared sleeping pattern of the tribe. In fairness the Jellicle Ball always caused a rift in everybody's regimen of rest that usually took a few weeks to settle down again but he nonetheless liked waking up early as it meant he could be on his own and enjoy the solitude of the morning – or evening – without being disturbed in order to gather his thoughts and think philosophically. He was not best pleased with himself over his waking up when he could distinctly hear Pouncival loudly blabbering on about something to somebody somewhere nearby but it seemed that for today those were going to be the breaks.

As he continued to lie there and let the usual pillow-time musings infiltrate his mind his annoyance was lifted when he found he actually felt better about himself today. During the previous week he had woken up feeling sleepy and mentally strained and within a few minutes of doing so always found himself returning to the previous day's train of thought about a particular cat. Today though he didn't feel like that at all. He felt freer and his mind felt much more open without the chains of Macavity holding it down and forcing it to do their bidding. Yes, today felt much better and for the first time since his meeting with that feline fiend he actually felt he was starting to get over him.

Maybe it was because he was above all things a smart cat and was finally noticing the lost cause that his desires were or maybe it was because he was subconsciously growing bored but either way he didn't quite feel the same pull to those thoughts as before. He could now summon thoughts without others getting in the way and clogging up his mind and the prospect of being able to concentrate on magic once again was a warming feeling similar in nature to an old friend returning from a prolonged absence. He would have to get in some proper practice later on when he could find a quiet spot and began to wonder what he might do or try next in his efforts to advance in his art.

Those thoughts though were quickly swept aside when he felt his body object to waking up along with his mind and decided the current feeling was too wonderful to cut short in order to begin the day like somebody responsible. He was a cat and that morning he was feeling an incredibly feline mentality grip him which dictated that where he was on his bed seemed like the only practical option to proceed with and as such did not want to move. Going back to sleep – although seen as lazy by the astute part of his brain – seemed like an excellent idea and feeling rather smug Misto closed his eyes once more, yawned widely and began to turn his body so he could snuggle further down into the sheets below him.

As he rolled over he suddenly flinched when he felt a sharp prickliness come into contact with his chest and rolled back quickly and blinked to try and clear his grogginess so to figure out what had happened. Clear vision seemed to be a lot to be desired and it took him a second or two to coordinate his mind with his eyes and begin what seemed like the strenuous process of looking down to his side – a simple action that his body seemed to object to due to its lasting desire to go back to sleep.

Shaking his head to finally snap himself out of it he looked down at the bed upon which he lay with a perturbed look about him. He expected a stray pushpin or something of the like but he was quite surprised when he found that instead of some spiky human invention what was there to greet him was one single, superb white rose.

Misto closed his eyes and shook his head again to make sure he wasn't dreaming and then opened them once more to look down at what he thought he had seen. Surely enough there it was and with mysterious curiosity continued to stare at it for what seemed like a long time. It was the strangest thing and as he lay he tried to think of how it could have possibly gotten there since he most certainly hadn't had it when he went to sleep the previous night. Or had he? He tried to think of some kind of explanation but he knew it was ludicrous to think that since where on earth could he have gotten it from?

He then was hit with the memory of being in that garden the day before when he'd stomped off in a huff and remembered how he had come across that beautiful rosebush. He was quite sure he hadn't taken anything with him though, in fact he remembered very distinctly that Munk had come to find him and he had completely forgotten about what he was doing when that had happened. He definitely hadn't taken anything with him and yet there it was on the bed in front of him: a lovely white rose that looked just as beautiful as the ones he had seen in that garden.

Tentatively he reached his paw forward and placed it on the stem of the flower making sure not to catch himself on the thorns he'd rolled onto only moments before. Delicately he raised it up in front of himself as he sat up on the bed and inspected it warily as if it were booby-trapped. It wasn't though, in fact it was absolutely perfect and Misto quickly found his sentiments going from stumped curiosity to growing happiness. This rose was absolutely beautiful and it didn't take long for him to put two and two together to realise that if he hadn't put it there then somebody else must have, perhaps somebody with new affections for him.

'_So, I have a secret admirer' _thought Misto as he smiled and brought the rose to his nose to smell it. It was incredibly sweet smelling and it made Misto feel even happier as well as skittish inside to think that somebody had come and given him a gift and as he smiled he wondered whom it might have been. It would have to be somebody that knew he liked white roses but that presented a problem as barely anyone knew he liked them. In fact it was only really Victoria who knew.

Another realisation then hit him and his smile quickly faded into one of less excitement. Nobody knew he liked these flowers aside from she and there was quite simply no other explanation for it. She must have come across it while out walking and decided he'd like it and as such brought it in while he was sleeping.

'_That's disappointing' _he thought as he looked on at the white flower and felt let down that someone wasn't being secretly romantic. It would have been nice to have a secret admirer but he told himself there and then what he'd told himself countless times before that the likelihood of that happening was pretty low. No one ever really expressed any interest in him in that way despite how he thought he'd like it every now and then and he missed the thoughts that he'd had only moments ago of somebody having eyes for him. It would have been really nice to go on the hunt for whoever it was that had the secret crush but quite clearly it seemed that it wasn't going to happen today or any day soon in the future. It seemed almost ridiculous to him now that anyone in the junkyard might be interested in him as they had all let him know in one way or another that although they liked him very much they nonetheless thought him rather a strange cat. Nice, friendly, clever and even cool but still strange.

Laying back down he draped his paw with the rose in it over his chest and started up at the ceiling just thinking. After a few moments he looked down at the head of the rose again and smiled at its beauty. It was still a lovely gesture by his sister and despite how he wished it could have been somebody else with more romantic intentions he was still grateful. For the third time another thought hit him and he knew instantly that this must have been her way of trying to dispel the awkward moment they'd shared the day before. He cringed inwardly when he remembered what he'd been caught doing and wished again to high Heaviside that it hadn't happened. Still, what was done was done and couldn't be changed so he'd just have to move on and try to deal with it; and what better way than with the rose, really? After all, it was his favourite.

Letting his disappointment subside, he slowly returned to gratification and a feeling of gratefulness as he thought about how Victoria always looked out for him. Sure, he could have felt silly that his sister was looking after him but he never really minded. She was always thinking about what he needed and what would make him happy and even now she was taking on the job of making the both of them feel comfortable around each other again. Despite how horribly what she had seen seemed to shock her she was doing what she thought was right in order to get rid of the discomfort that currently lingered like a bad smell between them.

Misto sighed with a mixture of happiness and disillusion at the previous moments' occurrences and tried to find the will to drift off again. He was awake now though and despite how much he knew he wanted to he wasn't going to fall asleep again. Besides, it was late in the morning and the others would probably be wondering where he was. With a groan he heaved himself up and began to push himself off of the bed and onto to his paws while making sure not to damage the pristine rose he held in his paw. Every time he looked at it he felt a smile creep across his face and even though it wasn't the perfect scenario he was nonetheless happy with it. It really was a lovely rose and Victoria must have gone to a lot of effort to get it for him. He'd have to think of a way to return the favour somehow but for now he was concentrated mostly on finding her and offering her his thanks.

Wobblingly he paced across the floor of his den and began to make his way out through the door and into the bright morning light which tried to make him feel embarrassed about coming out at this late time. Lifting the paw with the rose over his face to shield his eyes from the sun he stepped out into the light feeling happy but still curious as to how his sister managed to get in and leave the rose without disturbing him.

* * *

Miles away on a street which had several nights before been ransacked by a mysterious demon that had never been caught, that very demon could be found in the attic of the quaint old house that served as his lair. Outside he could hear birds singing and the sounds of the daytime going about their usual summer routine and in another part of his den he could hear some of his henchcats undertaking the tasks of running his home and managing his plunder. He himself was perched on a plush satin cushion in what he affectionately liked to call his library – which in reality was the place in his lair where he kept the books and papers he stole during his jobs – and was quietly nursing a small cup of cream. Blankly he looked down into the thick, silky liquid and gently swirled it around in the vessel without feeling much desire to take a sip. He'd had rather a sleepless night and was feeling rather drowsy but instead of the torture that such an occurrence had proved to be during the past week he wasn't at all annoyed by it. Had he possessed enough energy he probably would have been bouncing off the ceiling at the idea of Misto waking up at about that time and discovering the present he'd left him during the night but instead he simply sat quietly with his cream while still feeling excited on the inside.

He still could not believe that he'd managed to get away with it but that feeling was tiny in comparison to how amazing it felt to have been able to give Misto something to say thank you for helping him on that eventful morning. The rose really did seem like the right way to say 'thank you' even though he wouldn't know it was from him and while that thought was rather disappointing he still felt pleased by what he'd done. Even these feelings were trounced when he remembered how fantastic it had been to actually see Misto in the fur once more and though it defied belief he had seemed even more beautiful than he had been the first time he'd been by his side.

Setting the cup of cream down and moving to stand on the floor he began to pace slowly around where he was and perused some of the titles of the books he had stored nearby. As he did so he began to imagine what Misto discovering his rose would look like and felt funnily happy when he wondered how it must have made the smaller tom feel. He really deserved it in his opinion and he desperately hoped Misto would like it. Even though he had seen Misto enjoying them from his hiding place in that bush a few metres away from where he had been he still felt a little nervous at the possibility that he might have gotten something wrong or that it wasn't a big enough gesture. Still, on the whole he felt satisfied that he'd gotten Misto something he'd really enjoy – at least for the time it lasted. Misto really had liked those roses and so having one to greet him when he woke up must have surely been a pleasure.

How, though, would Misto react to its sudden presence in his den? Macavity became incredibly excited with a slightly devilish feeling accompanying it as he considered how Misto would tackle that little conundrum and suddenly wished that the small, black and white cat would know who it was from. It seemed almost impossible but maybe in some small way Misto might guess it was he who had left it for him and as Macavity wished he closed his eyes and revelled in the image of Misto directing his gratefulness towards him. It seemed so incredibly improbable but it felt so nice and for a moment the fiery coloured cat basked in the thought as if he were swimming in liquid gold. The warmness of it even went as far as trying to leave him blushing at having made Misto happy – or at least he assumed he had - and as he allowed himself to feel skittish so did he flash his shining white teeth in a shy smile – a characteristic he never, ever had allowed himself to display before. It was so strange how Misto could command these feelings in him but he just didn't care when it came to the bottom of it. Misto was just that amazing and he quickly found that there was nothing he wanted more than to make the smaller tom happy even if he didn't know who was doing it. Sure, he would have liked, nay, loved him to know but that wasn't really practical, was it? He'd have to continue to watch Misto from afar and unfortunately that was going to have to be the extent of it.

Macavity was surprised when he suddenly found he had taken seeing Misto again as if it were something set in stone. The night before he remembered feeling delighted about being done and dusted with his Misto obsession before feeling the desires slowly creep back into him once more and it surprised him to see how his mind took another spying excursion as if it were already a planned event.

That was the very thing though, it couldn't happen again, could it? That one time had been incredibly risky and he had been sure that it would satisfy him fully. Now it seemed that it wasn't the case and he had to go back to get his next hit of the beautiful little tom who had captured his emotions.

Looking down and shaking his head Macavity wondered if he would ever find a way to get back to the old cat he used to be but found it wasn't as shaming as he had expected it to be since despite all of his objections to feeling like a lovesick kitten he definitely took delight in letting the thoughts consume him. Even now he couldn't deny the incredible need to let out some of his delight and knew it was only a matter of time before it exploded from him like a balloon filled with confetti.

Behind the master criminal at the doorway of his library a small black cat presented himself for his master's service. Quietly he entered the space carrying the morning newspaper under one arm and stopped a short way from the larger cat before clearing his throat to announce himself.

"Sir" he said solemnly making his master turn and what he saw in the bigger tom was nothing short of surprising.

"Ah, Gilbert!" said Macavity brightly and before walking over and slapping him on the back heartily. "How the devil are you today?"

Gilbert blinked in bewilderment at the unexpected greeting and had to stop himself from falling as he stumbled forward a few places at the firm backslap. A second or two later he regained his butler-style composure and straightened himself up once again.

"Very well, thank you, sir. Your paper…"

"Ah, yes" said Macavity firmly grabbing the printed pages from under his henchcat's arm, unfolding and skimming them quickly before throwing them down onto the cushion he'd been on a few moments before and smiling warmly back at his servant. "Same old, same old there. Now, tell me Gilbert, what's going on in your life at the moment?"

Gilbert stared at him for a moment before tentatively replying,

"Nothing out of the ordinary, sir"

Macavity chuckled.

"I see, what a pity"

"A pity, sir?"

"That you should be at a loss for any flair in your day"

"Flair, sir?"

"Yes. Something to distract you from the humdrum of it all"

"Oh…well, serving you is what constitutes most of my day, sir"

Macavity let out another chuckle,

"One of my more heinous crimes that seems to be, preventing you from leading a life of your own and finding someone to spend it with"

"Sir?"

"A love interest, Gilbert, it seems serving me is stopping you from finding a love interest"

The black tom startled at the directness of the statement which seemed to come out of nowhere and found it most out of place to be asked by his master. The situation was the epitome of oddness and he really didn't know how to answer – especially not to the cat who was asking it.

"I…uh…" he began

"Yes?" said Macavity gaining a little bright curiosity.

"I…well, no, sir"

"No what?"

"Well, of course I don't have anyone"

Macavity sighed playfully,

"Well, never mind. As long as the fire is still somewhere in there" he said patting him on the back again before turning and walking back towards his books.

"The fire, sir?"

"Oh, come now, Gilbert. Don't we all have the desire somewhere within?"

Gilbert was shocked at the topic of conversation and wondered if his master was ill or had bumped himself on the head. He had a sudden joie de vivre that hadn't been there before and to be asked about his love life so directly and without any build up whatsoever was most out of place.

"I…rather think my 'desire', sir, is somewhat inhibited"

"What a shame" said the bigger tom airily, "for surely there is no greater feeling that can be so enjoyed and loathed at the same time. Love: the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired"

Gilbert widened his eyes at his master and gazed dumbfounded until the fiery tom turned his head slightly and shot him a wise look before saying,

"Robert Frost, although the first part was my own"

Again the black tom looked blank but Macavity had turned away and didn't see the need to clarify himself any further. Gilbert maintained his unanswered thoughts and before long he found one particular question too pressing to be kept in.

"Sir, if I may be so bold, may I enquire as to your current…insights?"

Macavity turned to him,

"What do you mean?"

"Well, sir, I mean your thoughts on love. They seem…" the black tom thought for a moment to try and find the right word without causing offence or sounding too presumptuous and eventually came out with, "…new"

Macavity turned away and thought for a moment. He actually didn't know why he was thinking about love and now that he spared a thought on it he himself found it rather strange. It did indeed seem odd for him to be even attempting to discuss it with anyone and as such tried to dispel it from the air that surrounded them,

"Never mind, just some thoughts."

"Very good, sir" said Gilbert before adding, "Will there be anything else?"

"No, thank you, Gilbert. Carry on"

With that the black tom turned and left his master on his own once again wondering why he was thinking the way he currently was. He seemed to be thinking about a lot of strange things lately and they all seemed very out of the ordinary.

As if on cue, thoughts of Misto infiltrated his skull once more and suddenly got rid of any doubts he had about himself. Tottering back to the cushion again he flopped down and basked in the joy that was the images of the beautiful tux and it didn't take long for his heart to start longing for him once more. Soon he thought about the rose he'd left and how magical it had been to see Misto. He was truly astonishing and he so wished he could take just one more look. Pretty soon his desire had once again grown into the raging fire it had been before and without realising let himself begin to think about how he might sneak in another look in any way possible.

He didn't at all think about why he was allowing thoughts of Misto and thoughts of love come into such close proximity of each other in his mind but if he had he certainly would have been knocked to the ground by the sheer power of his own shock. For now though he basked dreamily in thoughts of Misto and the joy that was his unequivocal beauty.

* * *

Out in the junkyard the day was already heating up and as Misto looked out from the space in front of the pipe which was the entrance to his den he could feel the sun making his dark patches of fur much warmer than the rest of him. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the light he looked around and quickly saw almost everyone hanging about somewhere or doing something else. The kittens, as always, caused a calamity wherever they went and at that present time seemed to be flittering around without any obvious purpose to their actions. Across from them Misto could see a gaggle of queens sitting about and chatting idly with Victoria and Jemima nearby and occasionally jumping into the conversation while at the other side of the clearing he could see Munk and Alonzo sitting out discussing something quietly with Demeter by their side.

As Misto began to walk forward holding the rose in his paws it seemed that every step he took brought with it a new set of eyes coming to rest on his person. No sooner had he made his way into the middle of the clearing were almost all eyes upon him along with a distinct lowering of the general chatter that radiated through the air. It seemed what he had desired least had happened and everyone was taking notice of his late appearance that day. As such he felt rather silly for having let it happen in the first place.

Timidly he looked back and forth around the clearing taking note of everyone who was looking at him whether they made it obvious or not. He felt rather embarrassed since many of them seemed to have looks about them that said 'and what time do you call this?' and as he continued to stand there he had to will his cheeks not to burn red through his fur. Nervously he twiddled the rose in his paws and made the few leaves which remained on its stem tremble slightly. When he went to look down at it he was surprised to find that from below his paws stared back a pair of very inquisitive eyes belonging to none other than Pouncival who had snuck up on him silently.

"What's that?" the prying kitten asked with a fair bit of bluntness.

"This?" asked Misto lifting the rose with just one paw

"Uh huh"

"It's a rose," said Misto with a smile

"Why've you got it?" Pounce asked as more kittens came into view around him

"I don't really know"

"Can I have it?"

"No" said Misto making sure to lift the rose out of the kitten's reach lest he start snatching.

"Why not?"

"Because it's mine"

"But you said you don't know why you've got it"

"Yes, I did"

"So why can't I have it?"

"Because somebody gave it to me"

"Who?"

"I don't know"

"Then how do you know someone gave it you?"

"Because I just do"

"How come?"

Misto sighed as frustration began to build up due to the constant, cycling questions.

"Because…I just know someone did"

"But how can you just know?"

"Pounce, really?" asked Misto with irritation.

"Really what?"

"Do you have to carry on?"

"What?"

Misto rolled his eyes and decided not to put up with it anymore,

"I'm going now, guys"

"But why?" called Pounce as he and the rest of his troupe watched Misto walk away. They received no answer but lost interest almost instantly anyway and carried on with whatever it was they had been doing beforehand.

Misto, as it happened, had laid eyes on his sister who sat with Jemima nearby and with a smile set his sights on joining them. As he walked over he made eye contact with the white queen and smiled with a knowing look in his eye before being a little put off when he saw a strange, uneasy look in hers. It caused him to falter in his smiling just a little bit and the gumption he had planned on greeting them with turned out to be a rather reduced, lukewarm sprightliness.

"Hi, girls" he said as he sat down next to them with an awkward smile on his face in an attempt to look open and grateful. As he plonked down he twiddled the rose in his paws to try and draw attention to it before he gave his thanks.

"Hello" said Jemima quietly along with a silent nod from Victoria who still seemed to be holding onto some of the shock that had been forced upon her the previous day.

"I…uh, just wanted to thank you, Vicks, for…you know, the rose"

The white queen gazed at him confusedly for a moment before looking down at the lovely white rose he held in his paws and then back up to meet his hopeful but slightly worried eyes.

"It's not from me"

"What do you mean it's not from you?"

"It's not from me," she repeated with the same stiffness as before.

Misto was quiet for a moment before he turned to the satin queen next to them,

"Jems?" he asked with his curiosity beginning to grow again.

"Don't look at me"

"Huh…" said Misto thoughtfully as he looked at his flower once more and controlled a smile that started to pull at the corner of his mouth. It seemed that the hunt might have been back on.

"What are you on about?" asked Jemima as she watched him gaze.

"I don't know. I woke up with this and I thought maybe you, Vicks, might have…"

The white queen just shook her head from side to side briefly leaving Misto with a funny bubbling feeling somewhere in the pit of his stomach. It was excitement and his feline urges to act skittishly began to become more intense by the second but being the composed cat he was he kept it cool – at least for the time being.

"So, a mystery rose…" he said airily.

"Really, what are you on about?" Jemima asked

"Well, I didn't have it when I went to sleep but I did when I woke up."

"Are you sure you didn't have it?"

"Of course I'm sure"

"You have been a bit weird lately though"

Misto scowled,

"I am not weird"

"Lately you have been – staring blankly for hours on end and whatnot"

"That was just…I don't know"

"And now the rose?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out"

"Well, whatever keeps you happy and your…paws busy" said Jemima with a smirk.

Misto looked away shamefully and felt his cheeks heat up as he was forced to remember the incident. Jemima didn't stop there though,

"Maybe you could hang out with Tugger…although maybe that wouldn't be too different a situation, there'd be two of you to feel you up instead of just yourself"

"Jemima!" cried Misto as he received the double blow and was thrown back to the time he'd let Tugger's outrageous charm get the better of him, "Is that never talking about it again?"

"But it's so funny!" said the small queen beginning to laugh, "Come on, tell me how it happened! Tugger seemed very smug afterwards so you must have done a good job…or rather given one!"

Misto glared at her as she began to roll around on the junk laughing and felt even more ashamed when he saw his sister's hard exterior begin to crack at her friend's quickness.

"Shut up, you guys!" said Misto as he scowled at them. He really didn't need to be reminded of another of his most embarrassing life events in addition to the one that had occurred not twenty four hours beforehand and as such wanted to forget the entire thing.

"Hey, maybe it's from Tugger looking for another bit of you know what"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" said Misto as he squirmed and plastered his paws over his ears.

Jemima simply roared with laughter as she watched him and would have carried on teasing had he not gotten up and scampered away. He could still hear her as he rounded a corner and ducked out of sight to be alone with his shame and wanted nothing more than to bury his head in the sand.

A few moments later he opened his eyes again and stared at the rose he still held in his paws. As roses went it was really quite a spectacular one with perfectly shaped, ornate petals arranged delicately over one another as they circled around the centre. Whoever had given it to him must really have had an eye for such things and the very thought of it fuelled a hunger within the tux to find out who it was.

That was easier said than done though, after all whoever it was would have needed to be a master at going unseen and it seemed that in those parts he was the only cat that really met that criteria. Perhaps it was someone letting out the dark horse that was trapped within them but there didn't even seem to be a clue in this riddle of who it might be. That made it a big job but the sheer enticing nature of it made Misto desperately want to see it to its end and as such it wasn't long before he started racking his brain thinking for who it might have been that gave him the rose he continued to slowly turn in his paws.

Back in the clearing everybody seemed to simply turn back to whatever it was they had been doing once Misto had fled from their midst and it was this normal, day-to-day acceptance that provided the cover for two particular orange calicos to idly wander towards the junkyard's entrance and then duck out of sight inconspicuously. Their names were Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer and both were fine practitioners of petty theft. They often slipped away to have some fun out among the houses and usually found themselves acquiring certain pricey items that quite clearly didn't belong to them.

On this morning there was another purpose to their disappearance as they had an appointment with another cat whose much more sinister feats of crime did not happen to be overlooked by the tribe like those of the twin burglars were. In all seriousness it wasn't so much an appointment as it was a spontaneous visit they paid whenever they felt like it and although such disregard for courtesy was not always enjoyed by the cat who they were going to see there didn't seem to be much he could do about it despite how much he tried.

The journey to the home of their host was rather a long one and took the pair quite a while to make their way through the streets that stood between them and their destination but it wasn't more than half an hour or so before they were standing in front of and staring up at the house where their boss made his home.

Turning to his sister, Mungojerrie gave Rumpleteazer a characteristically crooked smile and spoke in his heavily twisted cockney way.

"You think he's expecting us to bring something?"

The calico queen didn't look back at her brother as she replied in much the same laid-back manner.

"Nah. If he wanted something he should've said"

"How?"

"Well, he could have sent us a message"

"Yeah, I 'spose"

"So, after you, good sir" she said in a mockingly courteous way as she gestured towards the drainpipe which ran up to the roof.

"Oh no, your Ladyship, after you"

The twins chuckled together before Rumple jumped at the pipe and began to shimmy her way up with her brother doing the same closely behind. Being the acrobats they were it didn't take them long to get to the top and jump onto a window ledge that stuck out nearby. Together they stood there and began to hammer on the glass rudely and calling noisily to let their presence be known.

A well-groomed, snooty looking tom soon came to the window and had to open it before they stopped their haphazard tapping.

"Ye-?" the small black tom began before the twins jumped on him and began pulling him around in their classless manner.

"Alright, Gilbert?" said Mungo as he wrapped an arm around the tom's neck and pulled him close to rub the fur on his head rapidly with his other paw and messing up its perfectly groomed appearance.

"S'been a while, ain't it?" said Rumple as she began to totter off into the lair without being invited to do so.

Poor Gilbert flustered when he was finally let go and after quickly trying to straighten out his fur again turned around to see the pair of robbers making their way into the den of his master.

"Wait, you tw-!" he began before being cut off by Mungo once more.

"You got summin' to eat 'round here?"

"Well, hang on-"

"Yeah, I proper fancy some of that posh fish you always got," said Rumple without turning back.

"Wait! Please, just hang on a moment!" begged Gilbert knowing he couldn't stop the pair no matter how much he tried.

"So where is he then? Never mind, we'll find him. Mac!" said Mungo before continuing to shout the name of the cat they'd come to see. Gilbert watched as they disappeared into his master's den and cringed as he heard them call out his name in their thick, east-end way. He really hoped he wouldn't be reprimanded for letting them just barge in but by now it seemed to have become a regular occurrence every couple of weeks or so and one that he was increasingly powerless to stop.

As the pair made their way through the dim passages of Macavity's den they didn't stop hollering his name and became increasingly amused by each other's antics. Along the way the fiddled with expensive looking artefacts and things Macavity had obviously taken a shine to during his escapades and in their trademark fashion left several of those items in pieces before carrying on.

On and on they yelled into the quietness of the lair seeming to lose sight of finding who they were looking for and delighting more in simply shouting. It was likely they would have forgotten altogether about searching had the very cat they were seeking out not stepped out from his library and halted them in their tracks.

"Here he is!" said Mungo raising his arms in triumph, "Knew you were somewhere!"

"Alright, Mac?" asked Rumple with a mischievous smile.

"Good morning, you two. Please come through," said Macavity with far more sophistication than the pair of calicos that had come to see him before turning and heading back into his library. The visiting cats followed him in mock imitation of his properness and didn't wait to start pawing through his possessions when they got inside.

"Put it down, Rumpleteazer," said Macavity lightly without having to look to know that the orange and black queen had picked up and was playing with a small silver necklace sitting nearby. Letting it drop back to where it had been placed she sauntered over to the satin cushion at the other end of the room and plonked herself down upon without being offered to do so by her host.

"So, what's goin' on with you?" she asked as she looked at him from upside down.

"If you're asking how I am then I'm fine, thank you. How about yourselves?"

"Oh, we're alright," said Mungo as he hopped over to join his sister after having knocked over a neatly stacked pile of books. "Here, we heard you ain't been out and about recently"

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, but we thought it was probably 'cos you got beaten up by Munk"

Macavity turned to them and tried not to look spiteful,

"I didn't get beaten up. In fact I think I beat him"

"You still ran off though, didn't ya?"

"Yes, well, I was caught off guard"

"Ah, never mind. Anyway, why'd you come?"

"Sorry?"

"Why'd you come and cause trouble"

Macavity turned away and sighed mundanely,

"It seemed like a good way to vent some frustration"

"Not with us though, right?"

Macavity looked back at them,

"With you two, no; with the Jellicles, yes"

"Well, we're Jellicles"

"Don't get clever," he said before turning away again and going to pick up the books the orange tom had made a mess of. "So, have you two been busy lately"

"Oh, this and that" said Rumple cheekily, "Went into an house a couple nights ago and found a few nice bits"

"Did you bring them?"

"No"

"Why not?"

"Didn't fancy it," she said before rolling over lazily. Macavity straightened up and turned to them with a slightly annoyed look about him.

"Honestly, you two. As agents I'd rather hope you'd at least bring some of things you find to me"

"We do sometimes," piped up Mungo.

"And when was the last time?"

The pair looked at each other blankly for a brief moment before beginning to giggle when they found neither one really knew.

"Oh! We got you that jewellery box a while back" said Rumple as she suddenly remembered.

"Oh yeah, lot of hassle that was as well" said Mungo, "You liked that, didn't you?"

"I suppose," said Macavity as he tried to feign interest in their ramblings. "So, anyway, I trust the ball carried on as usual after I left"

"Yeah, same old thing all over again" Rumple said as she began to preen her tail, "Here! You'll never guess who went up to Heaviside!"

Macavity looked down solemnly and nodded slightly before quietly saying,

"Grizabella"

The twins looked at each other again before Mungo spoke,

"How'd you know that?"

Macavity rubbed the back of his neck and without turning to them said,

"Because I used to see her fairly frequently before she decided she was going to try and reconcile with the tribe"

"Why's that then?"

"Well, we were both outcasts in some respect and she was…is still my mother"

"Was she now?" they said together.

"Yes" sighed the fiery tom once more, "Still, it seems she got what she wanted and I suppose that's what matters"

"You don't sound too happy about it though"

"No, well, I suppose I'll miss having her around although it was nice for a while to have someone in my life that I was related to"

The twins didn't know how to carry on from that and instead waited until the tom before them did so for them.

"So, how well did I get that bastard Munkustrap?"

"Oh, he's alright," said Mungo with little care in his voice.

"Shame"

"In fact, everyone seems pretty alright. They've all been hanging around acting all tired and stuff for a few days now and it's probably all just because of the ball."

"I see"

"Yeah, especially Misto. Doing all that la-di-da magic must have taken it out of him. Here, he showed you up a bit, didn't he?"

Macavity paused and stared intently for a moment at the wall in front of him before turning quickly and stepping forward.

"Misto?"

"Yeah, he got Old Deuteronomy back when you took him away. Did you have to do that by the way?"

Macavity was lost for words at his stupidity. How had he gone this many days without thinking about the easiest connection he might have had through the Jellicles to Misto? No one would ever suspect it of Mungo and Rumple and simply could not believe he hadn't thought of it sooner. Slowly a sly smile began to spread across his face as he stared at his two agents before him and couldn't help but gain a twinkle in his eye.

"You say he's been acting differently recently? How?"

"I dunno. Probably just tired"

"Has he said anything?"

"Nah. He just sits there and mopes all day. He's weird really"

Macavity had gotten as far as the cushion now and as he could walk no further he lowered himself down onto it and began to crawl forward towards his new source of information.

"You're sure he's not saying anything about why he's acting differently"

"No. He don't say nothing"

"Not about anything that might have happened?"

"Like what?"

"Like anything to do with the ball? Or after it?"

"No"

"Nothing at all? Surely there must be something you know?"

By now Macavity was nearly towering over the orange calico twins with a hungry look in his eyes and it made the two pause and look up at him realising that something wasn't right.

"Mac, what's gotten into you?" asked Mungo.

Straight away Macavity pulled himself back from his paws onto his knees and perched himself in front of them with a little more dignity than he'd had a second or two before.

"I'm just…curious. I'm interested to know him…I mean, how he did…how he managed to…you know"

"Right" Mungo said with a look of awkwardness, "Well, he ain't done nothing that strange, or at least not strange for him"

"I see", said Macavity with a little disappointment.

"He had that flower though, didn't he?"

Straight away Macavity was once again starving for information and threw himself to tower over them once more.

"A flower? Yes, go on! What kind?"

"Uh…a white one…"

Macavity gripped Mungojerrie's shoulders and pinned him down as he glared excitedly into his eyes,

"A white rose?"

"I think so," said the shocked orange tom.

"Did he like it? Did he look pleased?"

"…Yes? He definitely looked happy because of it"

Macavity abruptly let go of his agent and jumped off the bed with a chuckle. Straight away he began hopping around the space in his lair looking overjoyed and the two cats that looked on simply did so without making a sound whilst trying to work through the strangeness of what had just happened.

"Here, Mac, you alright?" asked Rumple nervously.

"Never better, my dear, never better!" cried Macavity before jumping forward, wrapping his arms around their necks and placing huge kisses on both of their cheeks. Without waiting to be asked any more questions he immediately fled from his den leaving the pair dazed and unutterably confused. That had been, perhaps, the weirdest moment of their lives and something they'd never expected ever to occur with that particular tom. He was always much more proper and direct with them but to have actually been kissed sloppily on the cheek by him was truly mind-boggling.

The two were left to simply stare at each other in amazement and soon found that their host wasn't coming back. This soon led them to smile at each other slyly as they both thought of what they could do in their host's absence and then proceeded to simultaneously sing out into the quiet lair,

"Oh Gilbert!"

* * *

For the rest of the day Misto quietly went around each of the cats he thought might have even the tiniest chance of having given him the rose but soon found there was no answer to be had from them. Asking Tugger had been the worst because as soon as Misto had hinted that he thought it might be from a secret admirer the big, showy tom had decided to suddenly become quite interested in the situation. He had proceeded to follow Misto around for a while switching between very interrogative questions and outright teasing and it wasn't until Misto cunningly gave him the slip that he finally left him alone.

Now it was late in the afternoon and there was only one cat left that he hadn't asked about origin of his rose. Slowly he rambled into the clearing and stopped when he set his sights on the black and white coloured tom who sat atop the big tyre across from him.

'_Surely it can't be from him' _Misto heard in his mind and promptly agreed with his thoughts. Still, no one was left now so the odds certainly seemed to be in his favour and as such Misto took a moment to wonder whether or not he liked the idea of Alonzo leaving him the rose. It was quite a romantic gesture in all seriousness and it was strange to think of the patched tom feeling that way about him or even just fancying him a little bit. Misto wasn't entirely sure whether he should go up to him ask or not and as he let his thoughts wander he looked down at the rose he still held in his paws and smiled again. Every time he did so the same kittenish smile always found its way onto his face and he found he simply couldn't be unhappy when looking at it. It was still such a perfect example of what a white rose was meant to be and its scent still lingered slightly even after having been dragged around by its new owner all day in the hot sun.

Looking up Misto focused on Alonzo once more, took a strengthening breath and began to walk towards him. As he neared he began to notice the tom didn't quite look as chipper as usual and instead of the bright yet slightly aloof look he usually had he now looked rather worn down and almost drab in his appearance. He didn't even notice when Misto climbed up onto the tyre and sat down near him and as such the smaller tom had to nudge him to get his attention.

Alonzo startled and blinked through very obviously tired eyes when he felt the touch and squinted to see Misto who he could see had appeared from nowhere,

"Oh, Misto, when did you get here?" he said croakily before yawning widely

"Just now" said the smaller tom with a curious look about him, "Are you alright?"

"Just tired. I was up all night patrolling"

'_Seems consistent' _thought Misto as he related it to his rose.

"I see. Well, I won't keep you long, I just wanted to ask you about this" he said before holding the spectacular white rose out in front of him for the bigger tom to see. Alonzo glanced at it before seeming to melt into himself and flopped back against the junk behind him tiredly.

"What about it?"

"It was waiting for me when I woke up this morning I thought that maybe…"

"What? Me?"

"Well…yeah."

"Why me?"

"I was just wondering"

"No, I didn't leave you a rose," said Alonzo yawning again.

That was it then. He'd gone through everyone in the junkyard and no one seemed to know anything about it and as such he only felt more confused by its appearance. It caused him to question himself again and wonder if he really had got it on his own the day before. Still, he just couldn't think of doing it and went back to wondering how on earth it could have gotten there. It was then that he had a thought and brightened up slightly as he felt one last string of hope present itself to him.

"You said you were patrolling last night, right?"

Alonzo – now seemingly in a half-sleep – just moaned with annoyance and appeared to try and wave Misto away.

"Well, did you see anyone coming into my den at all? I mean you were here all night, right? You must have seen something"

Alonzo groaned once more and made a few sounds which resembled words although unfortunately for Misto he couldn't distinguish any of them as anything he could understand.

"Excuse me" he said indignantly receiving no reply from Alonzo and then watched him hoist his body up to at least some kind of stance that was on his paws and then begin to leave. Misto watched as he lumbered away and then disappeared out of sight in the direction of his den. He was left alone on the tyre with only his rose as company and as he looked down at it he felt a new wave of curiosity wash over him in regard to its origin. It was exciting of course but so too was it becoming a little frustrating now as he'd had enough of asking questions and getting no answers for one week and wished this might be one thing he wouldn't have to wait around for.

What else could he do though? In his head he could hear a saying he'd heard Old Deuteronomy say at some point in the past 'You can't squeeze water from a stone' and now better understood what it meant. No matter how hard he tried there was no way of squeezing an answer out of the rock that was his question and as such was left there with nothing else to do but twiddle his rose happily and simply admire it for what it was. Perhaps in the end that was all he was supposed to do since if someone was being secret then maybe it was better they remained that way. He really wanted to know who it was but if they didn't want him to know then that was their prerogative and with a sigh upon this realisation he pushed himself up and wandered off into another part of the junkyard to try and find some dinner. Maybe if he could present Victoria with some food for a change then she'd start to come around.

* * *

As the sun began to set the usual evening calmness once again began to descend upon the area leaving a warm, pleasant feeling in the air. Just as it had done the previous night though the tranquillity was suddenly ripped away when a flash of red and orange burst into the quiet garden Misto had been in the day before.

Without a moment to lose the fiendish cat hurried over to the rosebush that intertwined through a trellis in a quiet corner of the garden, pulled out a bud and slashed through its stem with animal ferocity.

Just as soon as he'd appeared he once again disappeared leaving the garden to resume its quiet winding-down for the evening and after a few seconds had gone by it seemed that he hadn't been there at all.

He'd gotten what he came for though and as the sun painted the sky with reds and oranges those same colours that could be found in his fur charged through the streets with none other than the Jellicle junkyard as his destination.

He barely had any idea that what he was doing was wrong anymore and simply ploughed on with nothing but excitement and desire rushing through his entire body.

* * *

When night came once more there seemed to be no reduction in the number of cats that could be found in the clearing. Those who had slept the day through were replacing those who were beginning to totter off to bed and as such the feeling of evening didn't seem to make itself known.

Misto – still very much in the mode of being awake in the day – yawned widely as he stared up at the few stars which had already come out and then turned to the two queens who sat nearby.

"I'm tired, I think I might go to bed"

Jemima – who had done most of the talking on behalf of Victoria for that evening – gently nodded and then imitated his yawn before turning to her all-white friend next to her.

"You feeling the same, Vicks?"

"Yep…I mean, I suppose so" was all that the sleepy-looking queen responded with and upon hearing it Misto and Jemima shared a glance to acknowledge that at least now she seemed to be saying more than one word at a time.

"Are you sure? I could find you some more food if you like" offered Misto hoping to get a little more out of her.

"No, thank you" she replied quietly.

"Anything for you, Jems?"

"No, it's okay. Thanks for getting it all in the first place"

"Well, I thought it wouldn't hurt for me to do it once in a while"

"Yeah, well, thanks again"

"Alright then" said Misto as he pushed himself onto his paws, "I guess I'll see you two in the morning"

"Yeah, and maybe it actually will be morning this time" said Jemima with a smile.

"Ha ha" said Mist before turning and making his way down from the junk pile where they all had been seated. Making sure he still had his rose he then slowly walked back to his den and ducked down through the pipe to the inside where he found himself on his own.

The tux took another look at his rose once he was there and smiled as per the usual reaction but let it falter a little when he noticed it starting to wilt slightly. It was kind of a shame that it was going that way and Misto wondered whether there was anything he could do to preserve it. In all seriousness there probably was but at that time he was too tired to think of how and instead of taking the time to think he lazily hobbled across to his bed before flopping down on it and stretching out widely. In characteristic feline fashion he sleepily kneaded the soft blankets in the biscuit-dough manner that so many cats do before bed and then turned onto his back before picking up the rose and twiddling it front of his face once more.

'_Where did you come from, little rose?' _he thought as he observed it for what seemed like the thousandth time that day and then with a sigh placed it down on his chest with his paw still covering its stem. This flower was such a mystery and was being given far more attention than such an item would usually garner. Misto couldn't tell why this was but he was nonetheless happy to let himself be absorbed by it. After all, he loved white roses and the mysterious appearance of this one really did play to his playful inquisitiveness. Perhaps tomorrow would shed some kind of light on the enigma that it was and so with that thought in mind the tux closed his eyes and let his thoughts begin to wander until he sailed off into the silver sea of dreamland.

It wouldn't take long for his privacy to be invaded once more.

* * *

Back in Macavity's lair Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer had not wasted their time in taking advantage of the Napoleon of Crime's servants. Being agents of their master it seemed that obedience in regard to the twins' outrageous demands was necessary and as such the pair of robbers had the henchcats bitterly doing their bidding.

"Oi, Gilbert!" said Mungo after glugging down something he'd demanded earlier, "How's them sausage rolls coming along?"

"Yeah, I'm well hungry now" chimed in Rumpleteazer as she watched a henchcat finely manicuring her claws as she sat back lazily.

The jet black tom who had been rushed off his paws throughout the afternoon had to do his best not to snap due to the liberties the pair were taking and after taking a deep, perturbed breath answered in as polite a way as he could manage.

"They'll be ready soon, but I'm sure you'll understand that sausage rolls are not items we usually serve to our master and therefore take a little longer to make"

"Why's that then?" the cockney queen asked

"He prefers finer foods" Gilbert replied with a rather snide sound in his voice.

"Well, la-di-da!" said Mungo before pawing through a box of chocolates he'd asked for earlier on, "You fancy any of these, sis?"

"Nah, I'm alright" Rumple replied.

"Will there be anything else in the meantime?" Gilbert stiffly asked again while already dreading the answer.

"Yes, would you do a dance for us, please?" teased Mungo making his sister laugh. Gilbert bit his lip in order not to explode from how annoyed he was and simply turned and left the room to find a place to deal with the audacity of the twins. As he walked away he felt no calmer due to their laughing echoing throughout the lair behind him and prayed that his master would return soon and send them on their way.

'_Common little idiots' _he thought to himself as he tried to calm his nerves.

* * *

Macavity gazed upwards at the night sky sprawled out before him as he lay on his back on top of a junk pile near the edge of the junkyard. He'd been there a while now and there were far more stars stuck up there now than there had been when he'd begun. As he lay he let his mind lead him and drifted back and forth between whichever thoughts wanted to come his way.

Most of them, of course, were of Misto and how it wouldn't be too long before he'd get to see him again. He was so beautiful and so unspeakably perfect that he couldn't keep from smiling and chuckling lightly as he let the warmth of the image of the magic cat fill him up and wrap around him like a warm blanket. He quite simply adored Misto and savoured every precious thought he had of him in his mind and could barely contain his excitement at seeing him again – even if it was while he wasn't awake.

Sitting up he looked around and listened intently for any kind of sound that might have come from nearby and grinned when he heard nothing. It was what he'd expected since he'd certainly been waiting for long enough and so - taking care not to damage the freshly cut rose he held in his paw – carefully got up and began to descend to the trail he'd been using a lot that week.

It wasn't long before he was walking along happily while letting himself enjoy thoughts of the special cat he'd come to see and in his dreamy state time seemed to pass much more quickly and allowed him to arrive at the junkyard's main clearing in no time at all. Just as he had done before he took care not to make a sound and carefully peered over the junk into the open space to look for any sign of action. Fortunately tonight it seemed no one was keeping watch and with a sly half-smile he internally said,

'_Dear me, brother, you are letting things slip around here' _

Feeling smug from his judgement of his brother's lapse in attention to the tribe's security the fiery-coloured tom hoisted himself over the junk and made his way down to the entrance of Misto's den. In absolute silence he stood in front of it and looked down into the darkness that could be seen inside.

Just as before he gently sniffed the air and without fail he felt a shiver shoot through his body as he sampled the scent of the amazingly beautiful cat within. The shiver was so violent that it actually made him double over somewhat at the sheer delight of what he was about to do and trying to keep a grip on himself he straightened himself up and told his body to calm down – although he couldn't keep a huge smile from contorting his face.

Once again it was the moment he'd been desperate for and with a shaky paw he grabbed onto the top rim of the large pipe that lead into Misto's den and eased himself down into it. The big tom held his breath as he felt his breathing become more fervent from the excitement of it all and gently proceeded to creep into the den of his obsession. Where time had rushed by only a few minutes ago it now seemed to grind to a halt and as such it made the journey through the pipe seem to take forever. He hungered for Misto again and in the whole world desired only him. He needed him, he craved him and he just had to have him right there and right then. Misto was like the air he breathed and the blood in his veins; in that moment he simply could not live without him and the unbelievable desire he once again felt in his body seemed to drag him onwards into the wonderful cat's home.

When he got to the other end of the pipe he took a moment to breath silently and tried to dispel the adrenaline which surged through every corner of his being. How Misto mustn't have woken up at the sheer smell of exhilaration that he was sure he was radiating he didn't know but was all in all grateful that in the dimness he could only hear the beautiful magician's soft breaths as he slept.

Once again Macavity straightened himself up and looked across the den over to the place where Misto was sleeping just as he had done the night before. Again he saw the dark shape of the smaller cat's body and once more felt the tingle of being close to him rock him like a boat on a stormy sea. It was indescribably thrilling and it made him want to shout for joy at the very sensation. He couldn't though, that he knew more than anything else and so with trembling paws began to step forward towards whom he'd come to see.

Again, time seemed to slow and it seemed as if it took forever to see past the blanket that obscured the black and white tom's beauty. Just as before it took one final big step to make his desire come into view and also like before he was totally unprepared for what he saw.

Dropping to his knees and biting his lip so as not to scream with delight he looked on at Misto who not only looked dazzlingly beautiful but was also clutching the rose he had brought him the previous night. The fiery cat dropped the new one he had and plastered his paws to his mouth as he felt his heart practically explode with joy and he simply could not believe the feeling that blasted through him at the wonderful image in front of him.

Misto had his rose. He'd found it and taken it and even now was sleeping with it. The way it lay in his paw on top of his beautifully crafted chest was heavenly and it pushed Macavity close to tears at sheer perfection of the scene but also because of the crushing pain that Misto didn't know whom it was from. It was an unbelievable conflict and one that seemed to have the will of ripping him to shreds right there on the magician's floor. It took a good few moments of silent panting – or as silent as he could manage – to control himself before he finally managed to bring his paws away and simply allow himself to marvel in joyous awe.

Delicately, the Napoleon of crime raised the new rose he'd brought and held out in front of himself so he could view both it and Misto at the same time. They deserved each other since they were both so perfect and the fiery tom once again basked in the pleasure of the comparison he was making. Delicately he then placed the astounding white rose at the side of the sleeping vision of beauty and moved back to behold the wonder he'd created. There Misto lay looking just as divine as always and the feeling Macavity felt in his heart as it did summersaults inside his chest still urged him to tear up from happiness and also still begged of him to scream in ecstasy. How could it be that Misto was so lovely? How could it be that such beauty could be confined in one single, special cat? He didn't know. What he did know though was that what he could see was real and he most definitely was there to see it. Truly there was no greater pleasure for him and without thinking he was drawn forward as if he were being compelled by an invisible force and rested himself on his elbows on the edge of Misto's bed before simply gazing in wonder at his heart's one desire. In that moment he was happier than ever and found amongst all of the amazing feelings inside that nothing felt more right.

* * *

The sky was blazing with fire and all around her the cats she knew and loved lay dead or dying. Those that were still clinging onto their last ounces of life reached out to her and begged her to run before she too met the same fate; and that's just what she did. She ran for her life in the sudden darkness she found herself in and the dying cats that she had seen a moment ago had now disappeared leaving the air silent. All she could hear was the sound of her panting as she ran desperately to escape the menace she couldn't see but knew was near. It was then that flashes of red began to dart all around her and then all of a sudden she found herself back in the junkyard where only she and two other cats she could see in front of her seemed to exist. Terrified, she looked on as she saw the two cats scuffle and then with one final blow the bigger cat – whose identity she knew all too well – threw the other to the ground where upon impact turned into someone she had known a long time ago and burst into flames. The screams of the burning cat harkened back to a memory scarred into her from the darkest point in her history and in terror she fell to her knees before looking up at the horrible, evil grin of the perpetrator who now stepped towards her. Slowly he got closer and then grabbed her firmly by the arm. With a voice that dripped with terror he simply said into her ear with sickening menace,

"Please don't"

Then with a force that physically shook her Demeter bolted up on her bed and sat there for a moments with her eyes open wide and her breath halted. After a few seconds she looked down at her body and suddenly felt herself trembling in a cold sweat. Her dream had been terrible and although she could barely remember it she was left with one feeling that she knew to mean only one thing and that terrified her down to her bones.

"Munk!" she tried to say but only managed to produce a strangled whisper as she sat there quivering. "Munk!" he tried again before reaching her paw out and shaking the sleeping silver tabby next to her.

Groggily he blinked his eyes open and took a moment to wake up before he too sat up.

"What? What is it?" he asked sleepily and noticeably trying to wake himself.

"Macavity" she said with incredible fear and then turned herself to him before latching on tightly. Munk shook his head and forced himself to wake up properly at the mention of the cat's name and instantly wrapped his own arms around his frightened mate. The black and gold queen continued to tremble as she sought comfort in her mate's arms and didn't quite understand what was happening when he pulled away and charged out of the den. She was left alone with nothing to do but stare at the empty doorway of then den and all she found she could think of was how horrible a dream it had been and how sure she was again that the cat who scared her beyond belief was there somewhere ready to strike.

* * *

Macavity wanted the moment to last forever. Staring down at Misto was the most wonderful feeling he could think of and he never wanted that feeling of simply being there and taking him in to end. Misto was quite simply perfect and he loved having him in some way in his life even if it was without him knowing.

Macavity sighed silently as he perused the sanity of his actions but quickly found that he just didn't care. Whether invading another cat's home while they were sleeping and gawping over their beauty was sane or not seemed irrelevant at that point because no negative thought against what he was doing seemed to come even close to how amazing it felt in comparison. The sensible part of his mind would tell him he was way beyond the mark and the intelligent part of his mind would tell him the risk he was putting himself at was staggering but it was a part of his mind that he didn't know he had that compelled him onwards and it was that very part that sang in tune with every other joy-filled fibre of his being. He knew what he was doing was crazy but the nameless force inside him prevailed over everything else and he pretty soon arrived at the conclusion that sanity and sensibility were just states of mind. If just looking at Misto felt this good then no matter how wrong it was it simply had to be right and though the sensible part of him would then dictate that such a conclusion was mad then he had to believe that madness was a much nicer state to exist within.

Misto was perfect and Macavity basked in that perfect radiance. He was crazy for doing it but he didn't care even in the slightest. The stupidest of cats could even tell that what he was doing was beyond belief but it seemed that a lot of things lately were just that. Misto was beyond belief and he most definitely existed. Maybe disbelief in this respect was okay; after all if he had believed it then it wouldn't have had the same effect. Even in hindsight though it seemed impossible that he could have even tried to believe it without seeing. Misto was truly an angel and he was quite sure that no amount of imagination could summon up anything even close to how amazingly gorgeous he was. Misto was a gift to the world and that moment he was only for him.

After a long time Macavity once again hoisted himself up and balanced on his paws. On his face was a pleasant look of sheer contentment and it seemed to him that by now he'd had his fill. There was one thing though that he was so desperate to do and had been wanting to do for the whole time he'd been there. He wanted to touch Misto. He wanted to reach out his paw and only for a second make only the most delicate contact with him. Such an act, however, was forbidden and he simply couldn't allow himself to do it despite desiring it so much. It would be the ultimate loss of self-control and all the while he held onto his last shred of it he still couldn't prevent himself from raising his paw and slowly moving forward. Grabbing it with the other he closed his eyes tightly and forced himself to turn around.

'_No!' _he told himself, _'You can't, you simply can't!' _

It was now that time again: he had to leave. His obsession was beginning to take over and he could feel the danger of getting caught growing stronger inside him. How long would it be before he completely lost control and woke the cat he was so fond of? He didn't know and by that very token he knew he had to get out of there soon. It only dawned on him now though that he'd been there for much longer than he had the previous night and cursed himself for losing track of time. Every extra moment he spent there was another moment he could be found and although he could probably defend himself he didn't want to upset the situation as it was. He wanted everything to be perfect and sadly that meant Misto couldn't know he'd been there.

In no way, shape or form could Misto know about what he'd done aside from the rose and even then he wouldn't know what it meant. Misto had to remain unaware despite how much he wanted him to know because otherwise he'd most certainly raise the alarm and then the beautiful cat would always be on his guard. Macavity couldn't bear to think of Misto going around scared because of him and he hated himself for being the frightful monster that he was. In the end things had to remain as they were and at that moment that meant getting out of there and leaving him to his rest.

With one final look the fiery cat once again swooped from the den and took off into the moonlight leaving behind a gently fading trademark aura of fear. In a flash he disappeared into the night as if he hadn't been there at all with the only trace of himself being the single white rose waiting for its new owner to find it the next morning.

When indeed it finally came around Misto did wake up and happen upon the new, fresh rose that had been laid next to him but instead of just being flattered by the gesture this time he now felt a new feeling which sparked a fire within him. Someone had definitely left those roses and the hunt was now on for whoever it had been. Right there he swore to himself as he smiled at the new rose in his paws that he'd find who gave it one way or another even if it killed him.

**Okay, so now Misto's decided that some shit is definitely gonna go down! **

**Thanks so much for reading and once again getting through it all. I will honestly try to make the next chapter shorter so it doesn't take five thousand years to read although I never intended for this one to go past ten thousand and look where that got me! Still, I will try and be a little more concise.**

**Please review if you've got a minute. Ciao. xxx**


	5. Collision

**So this week I learned Australia had its own version of the Alps. Who knew?**

**In other news, I'm an unbelievably awful person for letting it take as long as it is for me to upload new chapters. I remember the days when I was able to churn a new one every evening and now it's taking over a week and sometimes nearly two to get one done just like this. Granted, they're longer now but it's still no excuse, especially since this one is less than the length of the others. Sorry y'all! Please send all angry messages and letter bombs to cjfreeman, c/o , The Internet. Just let it be known that I am not at all giving up on this story, it's just that I've been so busy I haven't had as much time to write. I am still really into it and I really hope I will be able to write a little faster when I get back to England. **

**Anyway, as I said this one's shorter since there's no use padding out what happens. Hope you don't mind; the next one will be longer since there's a lot (I think) that needs to be covered when I get there.**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 5**

**Collision**

Junk scattered everywhere as a flash of black and white flew out of its home and perched with fervent concentration in its eyes rather like a hunting dog – pardoning any irony – on a junk pile not too far from the entrance to that home. The flash was of course Misto, and what an incredibly happy Misto it was. The look on his face as he excitedly scanned the junkyard on that early morning made it seem as if all of his Christmases had come at once and as he looked across the vast swathes of junk before him so too did he clutch in his paw, like a spoilt child with a ragdoll, a brand new, even more pristine than the last, white rose.

Such a strange symbol it had become within a few seconds of its discovery by its new owner for as soon as eyes were cast across it no longer did it appear to be a normal, white flower but an alluring symbol of the hunt, of teasing, of taking advantage, of kindness, of heartfelt expression, of beauty, of passion, of secrecy and above all else of a hunger for answers. The very feeling of the firm, fresh stem gracing his fingers as he had picked up the ornate bud and lifted it into clear view was warming and chilling at the same time and it had left within its new owner an unknown sense of crazed ambition and what could only be properly likened to lust.

That strong desire to know where it had come from was more than just that – a desire – by now; in those few waking moments of discovery it ignited into a deep lust with a much darker, animal instinct accompanying it and making Misto feel a way he'd never felt before. It was frightening but also earth-movingly brilliant and it charged him with an electricity of passion, hunger and even greed as it entered him and made his soul beg to know who sparked the sensation within using the comparatively innocent and pure action of leaving a white rose.

So, then, did that sudden sensation lead to where the small tuxedo tom could be found now and as he blinked in the light of the just rising sun he took a deep, bracing breath of the fresh morning air and affirmed within himself the one thing he had to do. He was going to find whoever had given him these roses and wasn't going to stop until he did. This cat was dangling his or her identity in front of him quite appropriately like a human might dangle a string in front of cat but it seemed every swipe Misto made for it left him without his prize. Not anymore though, now was the time to find out and it didn't matter what stood in his way, somehow he'd find the mystery cat.

* * *

Sitting with a slightly reclining inclination the well-built, intricately pattered red cat gently stirred a cappuccino of an appropriately feline size as he sat in his bedchamber in the quiet stillness of the morning whilst contemplating life in the way he usually did. The night he'd just lived through had once again provided little sleep although it was by now proving more of a pleasure than it was an annoyance. His visit to the gorgeous magician had filled him with so much excitement that his mind had been running a mile a minute for what had seemed like hours and even though he had attempted to will himself into sleep his brain had decided that light speed thought was a much more fitting for the early hours.

As he relaxed, a lukewarm breeze sailed in from the window and gently shook a few of the wild yet somehow still sophisticated strands of his mane giving him a sensation that caused him to look up to the light filtering in. The mixture of nature coming in through his window felt incredibly fresh and seemed to implant some of that very freshness into him. As such he smiled weakly at the prospect of a new day and then, of course, wondered how Misto would be spending his.

A small rattle distracted him from those thoughts and he turned his head towards the doorway where he saw Gilbert directing a couple of henchcats into his bedchamber with his breakfast on a silver tray. Delicately they placed it on what was akin to a table nearby and left leaving the head servant alone with their master. Macavity took a moment to inspect what he'd been brought and then flicked his eyes to Gilbert whilst maintaining his humdrum smile despite feeling a little confused by what his breakfast consisted of that morning. For now though he decided to wait before querying it.

"Thank you, Gilbert"

"You're welcome, sir. Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No, that will be all"

"Very good, sir. Would you care for the notices now?"

"Yes, you may as well," said Macavity suppressing the desire to sigh from his distinctive lack of interest.

"First off, sir, we've heard news that the British Museum has noticed the items you took from their Egyptian collection are missing and have launched an investigation"

"Oh. Well, I suppose that means I shan't be going there for a while"

"Exactly, sir. While I'm sure they won't discover it was you they'll nonetheless be tightening security and as such it will be much harder to get in"

"Is there anything we can do about it?"

"Shall I send some henchcats to try and scope out some new ways to get in?"

"Yes, I think that's a good idea"

"Very well, sir. Secondly, there's word on the street that you may be making a change to your strategy"

"My strategy?"

"The way you work, sir, and what you take interest in acquiring"

"Right"

"Yes, it boils down to your recent lack of doing anything that might cause a sizeable disturbance and it seems cats are starting to take notice of your lapse in activity"

"Hmm…"

"Perhaps you might consider undertaking a larger job in comparison to those you've undertaken in the past few weeks"

"Well, one can't simply go on a crime spree. Gilbert, there is only so far one can go before being caught"

"Of course, sir, but perhaps it might help to remind cats on the street why you are known as the Napoleon of Crime"

"Yes, yes…"

Macavity finally let that sigh out; he had been letting down his reputation recently even before Misto plummeted into his life. While he wished he could blame his lack of activity on that fascinating tux he couldn't deny that he himself had been feeling quite weary of the criminal game. Perhaps it was becoming too routine or perhaps he just needed to refocus but whatever the reason he knew he'd developed a slowly growing lack of interest. As it happened, whilst his interest in crime wavered so too did the space it once took up become filled with Misto and to him it seemed like more than a fair trade. Misto, though, did not provide for his henchcats or keep his affairs in order and despite how much Macavity felt he wanted to deny it he couldn't shake the actuality that Misto was consuming him and in such a dangerous way that he wasn't in any mind to care – just another of the unfathomable powers that amazing cat had over him.

Straightening himself up and silently groaning over the stiffness he felt he reached over to where his breakfast had been placed and pulled the tray towards himself. As he looked down at what had been presented to him he stifled the inclination to sneer as a waft of its scent greeted his nose and after a second or so flicked his eyes back to his henchcat without turning his head.

"Kippers, Gilbert?"

The jet-black cat maintained his solemn, rigid expression despite the worry that crept in over his master's apparent disapproval and gulped as inconspicuously as he could.

"Yes, sir. I thought perhaps you might like a change from the usual"

"Well, that was a good thought but…I hadn't quite been expecting something so…strong this early in the morning"

"I do apologize, sir"

"No, no. No need to, Gilbert, it's fine"

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Yes, thank you. Go on, you were getting through the notices"

"Yes, sir, there was only one more and it's to do with those two cats who visited yesterday"

"Mungo and Rumple? What about them?"

Macavity noticed the black cat before him take on a slightly displeased look as he began to tell of the pair of agents who had barged in the previous day.

"Well, sir, aside from having no manners whatsoever they made a great many requests whilst you were gone and as such it's delayed our regular tasks"

"They stayed after I left?"

"Yes, sir, and rather outstayed their welcome I might add"

Macavity smirked a little but not so much as to let Gilbert see. Secretly he found those two hilarious albeit quite inappropriate but it seemed the former entertained him enough not to change the way he handled them or do something about the latter. He could nonetheless understand what his henchcat was talking about and knew those two troublemakers had probably run his staff off their paws due to having run of the lair and he wondered whether or not to ask about what it was that had left Gilbert so obviously annoyed.

"Did they ask for anything too outlandish?"

"A fair bit but nothing much that can't be replaced. I did, however, think I'd best check with you whether or not we ought to actually begin sculpting them out of ice"

Macavity sniggered,

"They asked you to do that?"

"It was one of the things they asked us to do, yes," replied Gilbert with an air of sternness at the memory of his ordeal with the twin burglars. Macavity simply chuckled and rolled his eyes,

"No, I think you should probably forget about that one"

"Thank you, sir. Will there be anything else?"

"No, thank you, Gilbert."

"Very good, sir" said the servant before turning gracefully and leaving Macavity alone in his bedchamber with his thoughts. At that time they were filled with wonder over what those two orange calicos thought they could get away with and while he knew he should have felt annoyed at the pair taking advantage of his henchcats he couldn't deny he found their antics incredibly funny. They were good cats deep down and the only two Jellicles he actually liked – aside from one particular, very special tuxedo tom of course.

As he began to nibble at his breakfast he did his best to ignore the strong smell of the smoked fish on his plate and directed his thoughts back to the memory of what he'd done the night before. It filled him with happiness every time he pictured Misto's sweet face and he so wished he could be back there again and bask in his radiance. It didn't take long for him to realise he had subconsciously decided to go back and this time simply 'ho-hummed' over the choice rather than mentally kicking himself for thinking such a thing.

'_This is beyond obsession now' _he thought to himself as he continued to eat with the fresh breeze blowing in from the window.

* * *

By lunchtime Misto had his plan all worked out and sat atop the tallest junk pile in the yard with a sly smile on his face and every now and then chuckling to himself with a hint of something in his laugh which might have been likened to malicious intent. Cats that happened to be walking by and picked up his occasional manifestations of internal, aloof, slightly evil comedy looked up to see him twiddling the flower he held in his paws and enjoying the world he was floating in somewhere and it was this prolonged action that began further rumours of him acting strangely. Soon Misto was garnering looks from all angles but he didn't really notice or care when he did for he knew now what he had to do in order to catch the cat who had been visiting him at night. It was incredibly simple and completely lacked the flair he usually upheld in all of his actions but it seemed to him that the simple actions of gifting roses required a simple response in order to catch their giver in the act.

The plan itself was to wait until night once again and hope that his visitor might come to repeat their action. He would pretend to be asleep and once they came close enough he'd spin around on the bed and catch them red handed – or rather red pawed. It was that simple and although such an incredibly effortless plan void of any intricacy might usually have made him feel annoyed with himself for not trying he knew that the excitement would be enough to send any negative feelings on their way. The very prospect of discovering the identity of his mysterious visitor thrilled him even as he sat out in the junkyard in the middle of the day and every now and then it became so intense that he felt a shiver start at the base of his spine and then shake him as it buzzed its way up to his neck. The smile on his face was enough to show how much he was singing internally and although those nearby were once again caused to question his sanity the radiance he streamed as he beamed and chuckled to himself was enough to make them 'tsk' and put it down to his usual oddities.

A flash of satin dragged Misto out of his introverted rejoicing and he looked away from his rose down to where he could see Jemima ascending the junk pile upon which he sat carrying some rats by the tail in one of her paws. Behind her he could his sister following quietly with a considerably less shocked look about her today and it gave Misto a sense of relief to assume she was feeling less scarred by what she had witnessed a couple of days previous.

"Move over, Sparkles" called Jemima as she jumped up to perch beside him.

"Is one of those for me?"

"Yep" the bright-faced queen said as she plonked down and tossed him one of the dead rodents, "Vicks here said you probably hadn't eaten breakfast today and could use something to tide you over until dinner"

"She wasn't lying," said Misto as he reached out a paw to assist the white queen as she climbed up to join them. "Hi, sis" he offered hopefully.

"Hi" she replied with more normality to her voice than the day before, "How are you?"

"Pretty good. You?"

"Just fine. I see you've still got your rose"

"It's a new one," said Misto as his smug smile began to return.

"Really?" came Jemima's voice through a mouthful of rat.

"Yep. Woke up this morning and there it was"

"Are you sure you didn't get this one by yourself?" asked Victoria as sweetly as she could hoping to the Everlasting Cat she wouldn't offend.

"Very sure. You know what this means?"

"What?"

"Someone is definitely leaving them while I'm asleep and is purposely doing it so I don't find out who they are!"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Do you have another explanation?"

"No, I suppose not," said the white queen as she began to tuck into her rat.

"There we are then" said Misto doing the same before saying between mouthfuls, "It's not gonna last though, I'm gonna find out who it is"

"How?"

"I'm gonna catch them in the act tonight"

"Tonight?" muffled Jemima again

"Yep. I'm gonna wait until they come into my den and then pounce"

"Can we be there?"

"No, of course not. Then they'd know something was up"

"What if we just hid under the covers and then burst out when you did"

Misto gave his friend a look as if to say 'don't be silly' before saying,

"No, I want to do this on my own because…well, you know…"

"I don't think I do. Do you, Vicks?"

The white queen shook her head gently giving Jemima cause to turn back to Misto and await his explanation. As such the tux did his best to prevent a blush from appearing and then tried to say what he wanted to without sounding stupid.

"Well, you know…I just…sort of…well, it's roses they're leaving, right?"

"Uh huh" the queens said together

"And, roses are kind of…well, they're sort of…you know…romantic"

"Oh…right" said Jemima gaining a knowing sound to her voice whilst Victoria continued to increase the width of her sweet smile.

"Well, you know…I just kinda thought that…if someone's leaving them then they must be…or might be…you know…interested," stuttered Misto feeling his embarrassment swell by the second.

"Aww, Misto" teased Jemima reaching over and giving him a playful shove, "You're got a girlfriend"

"Boyfriend" corrected Victoria.

"Even better" continued the satin queen, "It's just going to be a shame when you find out it's Tugger"

Misto scowled, "It is not Tugger! Here, I'll prove it. Tugger!" Misto said before turning and shouting for the maned tom who was prancing about at the opposite side of the clearing. The flashy tome stopped his parading for a moment and then callously yelled back,

"What?"

"Do you know what this is about?" Misto said as he lifted his rose up into the air to give Tugger a better view. The other tom squinted from his vantage point for a few seconds before losing interest and yelling back.

"I don't know. Something gay like you?"

Misto rolled his eyes and let his rose drop back.

"Ever taking the conversation to greater levels of sophistication, Tug, aren't you? And besides, you're gay"

"Only on the weekends, Misto" yelled the bigger tom before then tauntingly adding, "But you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" and gyrating his hips towards the tuxedo tom.

The action caused a sudden explosion of laughter from the queens behind Misto and he turned back with a dark expression with his cheeks growing ever redder.

It took a minute or two for his current companions to calm down but eventually Jemima spoke again,

"Okay, so maybe it's not him. If it's not though then who could it be?"

"I don't know but it's got to be someone. These things don't just appear out of thin air"

"Are you sure? It is you they're appearing to and you've certainly been known to make all manner of things pop up by accident every now and again"

"Not this time" said Misto thoughtfully, "There's definitely something more to this but it won't be long now before I find out"

"And what if it doesn't work?" asked Victoria quietly.

"Oh, it'll work. I'm positive."

* * *

The day once again passed as it usually did with its usual occurrences and engagements and as the sun began its descent once again so too did Macavity find himself ambling along the quiet suburban street which led to the garden where he had watched Misto frolicking. To apply that word to the tux made him smile and it certainly seemed to fit the side of Misto he supposed was playful and skittish. It was a side of him he liked and he put it down to simply being a nice contrast to the stiff, stern demeanour he himself felt he gave out most of the time.

To him it seemed Misto possessed that quality which allowed him to enjoy life and see the hidden beauty within and Macavity so wished he could do the same – or at least more easily. What he assumed Misto was capable of was difficult for him as he had come to know life as being a very cruel and scary place to live in that never gave second chances or helping paws when they were needed and as such would crush a cat if they didn't fight their way through it. Misto seemed to see the other side and that was a side Macavity so loved seeing when he was able.

All of this was dreamy thinking though as in the back of his mind he still knew that what it was he was thinking about was all being cooked up by his own wishes. He had been painting Misto into the picture of an ideal cat that fascinated him and he had no way of verifying any of these assumptions. Maybe that was the best way though, after all he was never going to be able to find out what he was really like so why then should he not allow himself to create an ideal Misto in his head? It seemed only fair since fate had cheated him out of being able to explore him on a deeper level than his exterior and as such he found he didn't really take issue with his actions – aside from the one where he knew what he was doing was unfathomably obsessive and altogether quite sick in every sense of the word. Still, he carried on and allowed his untameable desires to quash any voices inside that reminded him of how much he disgusted himself.

All thoughts were dashed when the big, red tom suddenly heard the moronic, fervent blathering of a Pollicle barking a short distance from where he'd just been and without turning his head he could sense the creature was both quite big, quite excited due to having seen something to chase and quite quickly coming at him. Macavity simply sighed at the inconvenience and brushed down his fur which instinctively tried to stick up from his body. With a yawn he stopped and lazily turned his head back in the direction of the approaching Pollicle who he could immediately see was halfway between an incredible explosion of stupid canine excitement and the innate, ungrounded fury that something smaller than itself had crossed its path. As it barrelled along the walkway and quickly got closer Macavity – unlike almost every other cat in the world – simply stood his ground and waited for it to get just close enough to make eye contact. Within seconds it was only a few metres away and as such the red tom could see the disgusting yellowing of its teeth as it ran with them bared and the accompanying saliva that flew from its mouth as it growled and snarled.

Without even a hint of fear Macavity summoned up the steeliest, fiercest, most forceful expression he could manage and simply locked eyes with the big, dumb animal that was flying at him. Instantly the Pollicle stopped in its tracks and stared back feeling dumfounded that this creature its instincts told it would run was not doing so and appearing quite unimpressed with its attempts at accomplishing that. It also saw a distinct warning in the cat's eyes and something in its tiny, one-watt brain firmly told it getting any closer would be dangerous.

Macavity continued to stare and after a few moments cemented the attitude he was pouring out towards the dog by simply raising an eyebrow and silently conveying the message 'Just try it'.

A few long moments went by with the Pollicle's confusion advancing from stunned idiocy to a retry at barking and then back to the idiocy once again before it got the message that trying anything would be detrimental to its well-being and maybe even its life. With one final whine it turned and trotted away feeling very strange leaving Macavity simply to shake his head and carry on with his journey. He got so weary of Pollicle stupidity sometimes and really got bored of how the world seemed to need to stop whenever they happened upon something they simply couldn't go without chasing.

Pretty soon the annoyance faded away when he drifted back to thoughts of what he was doing and as soon as he reached the garden fence where the roses he knew grew he hopped over it with an ease to suggest it was only a foot high and wandered over to the bush of white flowers. With every step he felt a contented smile spread across his face and as soon as he was in front of it he paused and looked around for the most beautiful head. This was the third time he'd done as such and now that he was feeling calmer than he had done the first two times he began to find that he felt better about what he was doing than he might have guessed. While it was still quite clearly an act that suggested a lapse in sanity to him it also started to feel like searching for a gift to give a good friend. Of course his likening of Misto to a good friend of his only served to make him feel even more of a fool but through the self-inflicted embarrassment he also felt the little pang of knowing that he really didn't have any close friends.

That made him feel low. How long had it been since he'd been close to anyone? He didn't really know and such he felt really quite deflated. Had he become so lonely that he was actually stalking a Jellicle to feel some kind of pseudo-closeness? It seemed that way but the strangest part of it was that he didn't care. Did that make it even more pitiful?

Macavity shook his head to clear away the depressing thoughts and then focused on a single rose he could see was the best and quickly slashed it from the plant. He held the ornate flower in his paws and sampled its wonderful scent before smiling with gratification and turning on his heels to head off to the junkyard.

Misto would definitely like this rose, somehow he just knew – or at least the Misto he had created in his mind would.

* * *

Misto found it very difficult waiting around pretending to sleep that evening and after about half an hour decided that going to bed early wasn't going to make his mystery visitor come any sooner. As such he soon found himself sitting on his bed flicking playing cards across the den and attempting to land them in a saucepan. It was something he could do with magic but every now and then he liked to try without using it since it was quite a tricky skill to master.

As he flicked card after card he began to think of more constructive things he could be doing but knew he didn't want to do any of them. He knew he probably should have written to his father since Bustopher always requested at least one letter per month from both his children but Misto just didn't feel like it. It was boring and there was nothing really to tell him that he needed to know and Misto was quite sure he wasn't going to tell his father about bumping into Macavity after the ball. He dreaded to think what the big tom might do if he found out and briefly had flashes of the big, fat ball of black and white pomp and circumstance storming – or rather waddling as fast as he could manage – into the junkyard and dragging him and his sister away to live with him in St. James.

Misto flopped back on his bed and wondered how long it was going to take before whomever this cat that had been visiting him came and did just that once again. He'd long known that a watched pot never boiled but he didn't seem to have the capacity within him to ignore his eagerness for finding out who the phantom cat was. Still, what could he do? He would have to simply wait and hope that he didn't fall asleep in the meantime and miss him or her altogether.

Sitting back up he returned to his card flicking but quickly got bored and began to stare at his rose once again. He let his mind wander as he did so and tried to picture the kind of cat who might leave such a thing and giggled when he started creating images of some strong, dashing, devilishly handsome creature with a sweet smile and a sharp mind. The thoughts once again soon began to come a little more heated as Misto pictured the imaginary tom entering his den carrying another white rose but with a look on his face that seemed to show that he had planned on being caught. He'd then come over to his bed and then without talking would simply look into his eyes and use that simple action to silently say all that needed to be said. Then, feeling Misto tremble in his paws he'd pull him up into his arms and kiss him whilst roaming his paws over the smaller cat's body as freely as his heart desired.

It was then that Misto stopped and realised he was doing what had embarrassed him so much a couple of days beforehand and bolted his head around to check that his sister hadn't snuck in at the wrong moment once more. Thankfully for him she hadn't but the feeling that she might wouldn't leave him alone as he lay there in solitude and as such he put the sexual thoughts as far from his mind's eye as he could manage and sat up again.

He had certainly been feeling vulnerable to such thoughts creeping in lately though and he wondered why that might be. He was smart and he knew biology better than almost everyone else in the junkyard – save for perhaps Jenny – and he knew that adolescence meant having a lot of hormones running around one's body making them mad for sex. He'd been through all of that before though and was near enough an adult by now. True, he still had a little way to go but wasn't it time for embarrassing thoughts which manifested themselves physically to be put away on a shelf in his mind and left there only to be brought down at the appropriate time?

Still, maybe there was another reason for his recent excitement and that reason was most definitely his meeting with the cat who had the most fantastic physique of anybody he'd ever seen and with an air about him that would have allowed him to command Misto without so much as a snap of his fingers. Yes, Macavity had been magnificent and now that he had the time to think again Misto remembered just how fantastically handsome he had actually been. True, he had been rather aggressive and closed off but he'd certainly seemed to let that falter when he'd allowed himself to be touched. Misto even began to wonder if he'd made the bigger tom purr at the relief of the pain he had so obviously been in and liked to think that he had done even if it was only a little bit.

Misto lay down once again as he enjoyed the memories he possessed and as he did so he simply twiddled the rose in his paws and watched it as drowsiness began to creep in surreptitiously. Without intending to he soon let his eyes close and drifted off to sleep with the rose in his paw rested on his chest as he breathed softly and soundly. His dreams were filled once again with thoughts of Macavity and put a small subconscious smile on his face as he slept. Unknowing to him the very cat he was thinking about got closer to him by the minute and it wasn't long before the big, red tom was standing outside his den with great anticipation about him.

It seemed as if the arrival of unfounded excitement and desperation was the clockwork reaction to Macavity's just being near the cat he adored so much and while sensibility told him to be bored of going through the motions passion told him otherwise.

This evening he didn't hesitate for a second and strode towards the pipe's opening with confidence before bending down and moving himself through it being careful not to damage the new rose he had brought. As he went he felt rather smug about allowing Misto to wake up to these roses since he assumed the smaller cat liked them. What a nice thing to do for another cat that deserved nothing other than the kindest, most graceful actions such as the giving of roses that he was doing. It was a fulfilling feeling he received from it and as such it certainly felt like he was doing something right.

With the conclusion of that thought the big, red cat rose up and found himself once again standing in the den of the most beautiful cat he'd ever seen. As if on cue his breathing became shaky and the mystical, warming, tingling feeling he felt whenever he was close to Misto filled his very soul to the brim forcing him to stop himself from gasping in amazement at the smaller cat who he could see laying on his bed across the den from where he stood. Truly he was beautiful and every time he laid eyes on him he felt his heart skip a beat before desperately trying to escape his chest. That power, that fierce power that Misto had over Macavity was nothing short of amazing and beyond the understanding of the Napoleon of Crime and it never failed to make him lose all composure and arrive at absolute ecstasy whenever he was around him.

Slowly he paced over to Misto's bedside and took in the fantastic sight of him. As he stood he felt all words lose their meaning and gently fade out of existence as since there was no mortal description that he could think of to be appropriate for a tom so beautiful as he. He swore to himself he'd never find another cat so fantastically amazing and as he continued to stare in silent yet jubilant awe he felt the undying need to touch the radiant form of the cat before him creep into his mind once again.

He couldn't though, he just couldn't. There was absolutely no way he could possibly reach out barely inches in front of him and feel the magician's soft fur under his fingertips. He so desperately wanted to and felt he might very well die right there if he didn't but through it all - despite how painful and aggravating it was – the message came loud and clear that he just could not do it.

Now, those who have even the shortest of experiences with anything feline know above all things that cats do not obey orders given to them. Perhaps it is something in their genetic code or some habit that is passed on through generations of cats since time immemorial but whatever the reason it has been known throughout the ages that cats have no master but themselves. Macavity was perhaps the epitome of this truth and it was widely said that there was no human law he hadn't broken. Whether that was truthful or not was something to be debated but even if it wasn't then he was certainly on his way to getting through all of them. Neither did he pay much attention to what was expected of him as a cat and as such caused a great deal of annoyance or fear depending on the nature of his actions to other cats and it was this disregard and devotion to following his own desires that led to him ignoring his own sense of sensibility and allowing his paw to begin to quiver as he stood in the den that wasn't his with its owner sleeping in front of him.

That restless paw soon began to flex as he stood there trying to will himself to be calm but soon the ruling part of his mind took over. The paw began to rise and push forward and before he knew it he was reaching out towards the cat he had forbidden himself to touch. His sensibility began to scream and beg him to stop but it wasn't long before it faded into the abyss and left nothing but the fervent fire of desire pushing him onwards. All he would need was one touch just for the sake of feeling he was real and not some divine spectre and then that would surely be enough. It was so very badly what he needed and as the seconds ticked by it became the only thing in the world he needed - greater than oxygen, greater than life itself.

Misto continued to sleep soundly as the most terrifying cat in all of London stood by his bedside and breathed softly and sweetly as he lay there. On and on he dreamed of the amazing cat that was Macavity and in his unconscious state he revelled in the vision that was he. Macavity certainly had a reputation about him but Misto knew there had to be more than that. In his dreams he could explore him and found that there was most definitely a side to him that was deeper than what everybody else said and what also fit to his own soul so perfectly. Together in his dream they could do whatever they wanted and the feeling of mystic wonder it filled him with even as he slept was divine.

That feeling as it happened was enough to make him feel sufficiently wonderful while he slept to smile gently and twitch lightly like a kitten. It was an adorable sight and an event that was unbeknownst to him going to be the turning point in his life that would lead him to the highest glory he would ever know.

As he moved gently in his sleep Macavity still reached towards him and got closer and closer with every moment that went by. In his paw Misto still held the rose he had been given the day before and wrapped his fingers around it tightly in his dreamy joy. Closer and closer Macavity got whilst Misto gripped tighter and tighter on the stem of his rose and it was when Macavity was only inches away from touching Misto's cheek with a crazed look of desire and fascination on his face when it happened.

The sharp thorns on the rose of the stem without faltering in any of their natural harshness finally pushed through the tux's fur and stuck angrily into his skin underneath. In an instant the magician's eyes flew open at the sudden pain as he tried to look down to what on earth was going on but within the first moment of waking's confusion the characteristic 'Ow!' that seemed appropriate for that situation caught in his throat and left him breathless as he was suddenly confronted with the staggering, fearsome, looming form of none other than the Napoleon of Crime himself, Macavity.

Time stopped as Macavity tried to comprehend what had happened and he simply stood there with his paw reaching out in the few seconds of confusion that followed Misto's eyes opening up. Straight away adrenaline surged and his blood ran cold at the sudden shock of that simple action and he simply did not know what to do.

Misto simply lay for a moment wondering what he was seeing but then, all of a sudden, became deeply afraid and bolted back in his bed until he was sitting up plastered against the wall of his den and staring intently in terror at the sight of Macavity reaching out for him. It was most definitely he and disregarding all of the things he had been feeling in that past week his instincts took over for a moment and told him to be very, very afraid.

As soon as Macavity saw this he ripped his arm back and staggered backwards a few paces. There he stood breathing shallowly but heavily not knowing what was going to happen next and couldn't think of what to do since his mind was suddenly locked up.

Misto didn't breath as he stared onwards in amazement and tried to take in the sight of what was next to his bed. Within seconds his eyes began to dart backwards and forwards in the shocked silence of the den and took in the entire cat who stood there. He was huge, his fur was shocking and his eyes were absolutely piercing. It was if the very vision of him had nailed him to his spot and all he could see in his mind's eye was a great mess of clogged thoughts not allowing him to move. This was all until he looked down to Macavity's other paw and focused on something even more shocking. There, in his strong, red paw was a white rose and in a lightening quick realisation Misto flicked his eyes back up to Macavity's face and gazed in confused wonder.

This was the cat who he had been with the morning after the ball. This was the cat who had been sneaking into his den and leaving him roses. This was the cat he supposed had been making secret advances. This cat was Macavity, the most devious, wretched, most charmingly handsome cat he'd ever seen. This was beyond comprehension.

Tentatively Misto opened his mouth and tried to form a word. What that word was he didn't even know for no sooner had he done it did he see Macavity turn and bolt from his den. Now knowing what to do Misto suddenly shouted "Wait!" and tore off after him without having a clue as to what would happen then.

In an instant he was outside his den and found himself alone with nothing but the bad cat's scent to lead him on. Straight away he followed it as fast as he could and then found himself sprinting over mounds of junk in the direction he hoped was correct whilst stumbling and catching himself foolishly. On and on he ran and every now and then saw the tiniest flashes of Macavity darting away from him up ahead. The treacherous cat was fast though and too fast for Misto to follow and without thinking he stopped dead, closed his eyes, concentrated as hard as could and clapped his hands hard together.

Macavity flew forward as fast as he could with no other thought in his mind other than getting out of the junkyard as fast as he could. He couldn't believe what he'd done but would save that wonder for later since now he was desperate to get away. He had ruined everything and knew he'd never be able to come back now and in that one moment hated himself more than he ever had done in his entire life for destroying one of the few things in his life that had provided him with some kind of comfort. It was all over and nothing could salvage it.

Suddenly there was a flash in front of him and before he had time to stop, bumped into – or more accurately crashed into like an express train ploughing into a brick wall - whatever it was that suddenly appeared in his path.

Not knowing what had happened, he and whatever he'd collided with crashed to the ground and then began to tumble and twist as the momentum Macavity had built up quickly ebbed away.

When he landed Macavity found himself looking up to the sky with the hazy stars slowly beginning to return to clear little dots as his mind became less murky from the impact. It took a moment for him to realise but when he regained clear brainpower suddenly felt a weight lying on top of him and looked down to see someone raise their head and lock eyes with his.

Those eyes were the most hauntingly beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen aside from on one particular cat and after a moment's confusion realised that this was that very cat.

Both were hit with stunned amazement without knowing what to do and couldn't move for lying entangled with one another. All they could do was gaze at each other and breath heavily and as such did so for a long time before either one of them managed to find enough clarity to speak. What came out of Misto's mouth he would later chastise himself for sounding so stupid for saying but at the moment there simply seemed to be nothing else that could be said.

"Hi" the black and white tom said breathily and feeling his lungs constrict at the very suggestion that they might be used for anything but panting.

Macavity didn't know how to respond and found all he could do was gulp before quietly and almost fearfully attempting reply but slamming his mouth shut before anything came out.

The two simply continued to stare without a care in the world but their fascination for each other.

**Short chapter! (-ish) Sorry if you were expecting something a little longer but I wanted to make something happen now so you wouldn't lose interest. Hope this was fast-paced enough to keep you all into it and a good enough compromise so I can make the next chapter much longer since that is when they finally get to properly meet! Yay!**

**Thanks for reading. A review? I'd love one, thank you so much for offering!**

**See you in the next chapter. x**


	6. Introduction

**Standard grovelling apology for taking over a week to write this chapter.**

**I NEED feedback on this one if you don't mind. I'm not sure if the effect I was going for came across so please review at the end. Even so, I'm glad I've reached this point in the story and am excited to be getting onto the next phase. This chapter is rather a crucial turning point so let me know if you think I pulled it off well or not and if not then please say why. If I may dust off an old chestnut of mine: 'If it sucks, tell me and I can try and make it better'.**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 6**

**Introduction**

Hitting your head is never pleasant or healthy. All have experienced both the dull ache of a firm clonk against a wall or the sharp, constant, agonizing jab of catching the corner of something hard and pointy but it seems the feeling that arrives shortly afterwards is more or less the same if the impact involves enough force. That dizzy, thumping, sick feeling is the insult to that particular injury and there truly cannot be a creature alive that is capable of experiencing such a pain and finding it at all pleasant.

Macavity had that feeling as he looked on through the darkness into the face of the cat he had just run into as he lay underneath him. Such was the surprise of the impact that at first he hadn't known what had happened but then as useable brainpower returned for his employment the questions that began to arise in his mind slowly began to be answered.

First of all there had been a flash, then a bang, then a tumbling, then a landing and then a dizzy blurriness that slowly subsided; this much was certain. After that there had been a wondering, then a looking up and then it had all seemed to stop leaving him in limbo between that moment and where he was now. What had happened seemed to be too big an occurrence to fit into his brain and although he could see what there was to be seen in front of his very eyes he just couldn't manage to process it through his usually sharp, logical mind.

Gazing back at him were a pair of wonderfully blue eyes which were unmistakeably the same eyes he had noted as the most beautiful he had ever seen about a week beforehand. He knew these eyes belonged to one very special cat who he had been sneaking around to see since he'd first encountered him but the impossibility of the whole situation seemed to be linking that cat to being the same cat he could now see laying on his chest.

Misto had a completely different set of emotions rushing through him. The shocking fear he'd felt as an instinctual reaction to waking up to the Napoleon of Crime had quickly disappeared as soon as he'd seen him running away and the frantic, lightning-fast decision making that had followed left him no time to make a mental note of what was really going on and as such lead to his superb crash. As soon as he'd looked up and seen Macavity lying under him he had suddenly been filled with a mountain of nervousness before saying what left him feeling unbelievably stupid at that moment, "Hi".

Misto didn't let the magnitude of stupidity he felt show on the outside since right at that moment there was far more he was concerned with than making an idiot of himself. Macavity - the most fearsome and dangerous cat in all of London - had been in his den and in the process of giving him a white rose and that was evidence enough to conclude that it was he that had been giving them all along. So too was it true that Macavity was staring back at him in amazement and barely breathing with only the thumping of his heart through his chest into Misto as they lay pressed together letting him know that he was alive.

It was all too much to comprehend and not knowing what to do Misto gulped and then very quietly and nervously uttered the few words,

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry for…"

That was where he stopped before suddenly realising he was still holding Macavity down and as such scurried off of him onto his behind next to the bigger tom who propped himself up on his elbows straight away to continue gazing in amazement.

"Are…are you alright?" asked Misto with the same anxiety as before and then shut his mouth tightly as if every word he said to the red tom was an insult.

Macavity was still stunned but could hear Misto speaking. After a long time he eventually managed to realise he was gawping like an idiot at the tux before him and internally rattled himself as hard as he could before shaking his head and opening his mouth to speak again.

What came out was silence and quite rightly so since with every passing moment he was presented with new aspects of confusion and shock. This happened several more times before Misto interrupted him in his fish-like opening and closing of his mouth.

"Are you hurt?" he timidly enquired, "I'm…I'm so sorry if I…"

Macavity once again opened his mouth making Misto shut up tightly and fortunately for him this time he was able to actually make a sound. Even more fortunately that sound resembled something akin to a word that actually made sense.

"No" he blurted before taking a few seconds to breath heavily. Misto waited patiently for him to carry on which of course took a few moments to do. "I didn't mean to…I mean…are you alright?"

Misto nodded ever so gently and attempted the tiniest of smiles,

"Yes"

"Good…that's good"

Once again there was that same silence before Misto's bright-eyed amazement once more took a hold of him.

"You're Macavity" he suddenly said with an air of both disbelief and excited intrigue.

"Yes," muttered the red tom breathily still propped on his elbows and staring.

"You've been bringing me roses," he said stressing the 'You've'.

That was enough to distract Macavity from his attempts to bring himself out of his mental block and with a slow, rattling blink he looked away from Misto's eyes and took in his whole form before saying with a little more certainty,

"Yes"

Misto smiled and did his best not to let his excitement show or his heart burst out of his chest. Instead he simply let his cheeks begin to glow and looked down bashfully with a nervous smile before saying,

"Thank you"

Again the pair of tussled felines were left in the same silly silence and during that time Macavity pushed himself into a sitting position as well. He had quickly debated whether or not to scarper since at that moment he was free again but it was during this wondering that he found something was preventing him from doing so.

As soon as he found a comfortable position he looked all over Misto again and felt himself warmed by the smaller tom's very presence and as such felt a smile begin to pull at the corners of his mouth. Misto peeked at him from behind his gentle blushing every now and then and to Macavity he was both adorable and, of course, just as beautiful as he'd come to know. Misto had a mystical way of being beautiful in every one of his actions and Macavity found it so confusing and mysterious as well as wonderful at the same time. He couldn't understand how he did it but none of that compared to how much he didn't care and loved basking in the magician's staggering radiance.

Before long Macavity realised that a lot of time had passed as they sat in silence just looking at each other and suddenly realised the fatuity of what he was doing. Misto was there in front of him and wasn't running away. He was actually sitting and waiting for him to do something and it seemed he wasn't going to budge until that was done. Macavity knew he couldn't waste this opportunity; he simply had to make a good impression on Misto now since his first had been so very awful.

Taking a deep breath and telling himself to relax he set his eyes on Misto and willed himself not to look or sound a fool. Feeling that he had at least made it halfway to that requirement he decided that was probably going to be the most confident he could feel in front of the tux and decided that it was either now or never.

"I…I'm so sorry…"

Misto looked up at him with an air of concern and hoped desperately he hadn't done something wrong.

"What?"

"I'm sorry for sneaking in on you…these past few days I mean"

Misto flicked his eyes around the cat in front of him a little before settling on the rose that sat nearby.

"You mean the roses?"

Macavity sighed,

"Yes…well, yes…"

Misto put on a sweet smile,

"It was really nice of you"

"It was?" asked Macavity hopefully

"Yes. They were absolutely beautiful."

"I thought you'd like them. After all they seemed to be quite befitting for someone like you"

"Some one like me?"

"Someone so attractive"

Misto felt himself swoon a little and had to wonder if he'd heard the bigger cat correctly. Could it be this fantastically gorgeous, strong, sexy cat had said that to him? He didn't really know what to reply with and as such forced a giggle to stay inside and looked away whilst turning an even deeper shade of red through the plain white fur on his face.

Macavity saw this and smiled but all the same felt a pang of guilt still nagging and as such grimaced internally before carrying on.

"It's just...I gave them to you while you were sleeping"

"That's right," said Misto with a growing excitement.

"And I don't think that was…very good of me"

"Why ever not?"

"Well…it was wrong of me to invade your privacy"

Misto looked a little confused before simply saying,

"I don't mind. They were lovely"

"Even so…I…well…okay, never mind…"

Again there was silence before Misto broke it.

"Why did you bring them?"

Macavity looked up at him and suddenly found himself on the spot. He thought about lying with something that was less than the actual reason but just couldn't fight the will of his heart to tell the truth. With a bracing breath and doing his best to look calm he opened his mouth to speak,

"Because…" he began before taking another moment to steady himself, "…because I wanted to thank you for helping me that morning and…"

Misto ducked his head a little to try and catch his eye when he looked down in his own embarrassment.

"Yes?" he asked sweetly making the bigger tom look up again.

"…And because you are without a doubt the most beautiful cat I've ever laid eyes upon"

Misto suddenly felt as if he'd died and flown up to Heaviside in less than a second and could have sworn his heart had stopped for a moment. Never before had anyone said anything like that to him and so he never anticipated how amazing it made him feel – especially coming from a cat as handsome and powerful as the one in front of him. It was true that he knew barely a thing about Macavity but at that moment nothing else seemed to matter but the incredibly kind and affectionate thing he'd just uttered and as such it made his soul shout for joy.

It left him unable to speak and the prolonged silence that then greeted Macavity suddenly filled him with the fear that he'd instantly ruined everything.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" he blathered before Misto cut in.

"No, no...that was…that is…no one's ever said that to me before"

"Why ever not?"

"I…I…"

"It's the truth. Mistoffelees, you are so very, very beautiful and to think that you've never been told it seems to be both cruel and a criminal"

Misto stifled a second swoon and felt himself go a little dizzy before he managed to speak again,

"You're very kind"

Macavity suddenly reached forward and grasped the tux's paw in his making the smaller tom's heart race in both shock and nervousness at actually having his paw held by him. Instantly they were both filled with that same fantastic feeling that filled them up entirely and made them both feel so fantastic. It rocked them both and fascinated them for a few seconds before Macavity slapped on his most charming, most suave mannerisms and told Misto what he desperately wanted to say – albeit in a way that showed the side of himself he really wanted Misto to see in contrast to the desperate, crazy, perhaps needy side.

"Mistoffelees…I know what you must have heard of me and I know what a monster I appear to be but that's only one side of the coin. I am not as vile as I've been portrayed by so many and despite what they say I do have a heart. Now, I know this might seem very forward and strange but I feel you must know the reason I've been coming to you at night is because…well, I just had to remind myself that you were real and because…well, I desperately wanted to see you again"

Misto stared back in amazement and then shakily asked,

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course I do. I'm so sorry I did so when I had no right to but I swear to you that I just couldn't help myself. I'm sorry but I couldn't. You enchanted me that morning, Mistoffelees, and there hasn't been a moment since when I've not been thinking of you. You are very beautiful and I desperately hope you'll believe me when I say it and then also say how sorry I am that I went into your den without you knowing. You see though, I have no idea what it is but I'm so very drawn to you and as of yet I haven't found a way to stop; and even then…I don't really want to"

Misto didn't know what to do and couldn't move from the shock. These words coming from this cat were heavenly and he never knew such things could be said to make him feel so strange and fluttery inside. Perhaps it was magic or some kind of devious trick – after all it was Macavity – but he just couldn't believe that it was. In that one moment Misto felt fantastic and simply could not express the way he felt without bursting.

"Thank you" he whispered shakily before smiling with awe on his face and looking into the eyes of this wondrous cat who still held his paw so delicately and looked back at him with the same fascination and delight. The deep green eyes of the red cat were mystifying and without realising Misto slowly found himself getting lost.

"For what?" asked Macavity quietly snapping Misto out of his growing daze.

"For saying those things"

"It's only the truth"

Misto smiled silently for a moment allowing Macavity time to carry on.

"You must think I'm a monster"

"Why ever would I think that?"

"For doing what I've done. It's quite unforgiveable"

"But it doesn't matter"

"Doesn't it?"

"Of course not. I mean, I don't know why you didn't think you could come and find me when I was awake but it's still okay"

"But coming into your den at night and watching you sleep; even I know that's twisted…sick even"

"It's…it's okay…but why didn't you come to me in the day"

"My brother would have gone mad had he seen me"

"Munkustrap?"

"Exactly"

"But could you not have given him the slip?"

"Perhaps, but his over-compensation for his failures as a tom put him far more on edge than what's good for him or anyone else for that matter"

"Do you not like him?"

"Not particularly…in fact, not at all anymore"

"I see…"

"Please understand though, even if I had been able to get past him I still would have acted disgustingly when I got to you. I truly am sorry for behaving this way but I'm afraid I…I just can't help myself"

"Behaving which way?" asked Misto rife with confusion.

"Like a stalker" said Macavity shamefully, "Like a sadistic, dangerous creep that took advantage of you"

Misto looked down to his paw that was still held in Macavity's and placed his other paw over the top of them before looking back up to meet his eyes.

"It's alright. You still haven't answered my question though"

Macavity sighed and nodded.

"Why did I act this way?"

"That's right"

He paused and thought for a moment before he replied and then as properly as he could tried to explain.

"I'm not sure of the main reason but I know there are several which have played a part in it. On the one paw, as I've already said, there's something about you that I just can't resist and it awakened something inside me that fuelled some kind of animal desire to be near you and crushed any sensibility that might have kept me at bay. It led me to do things that I'd never dream of usually doing such as watching you at night and leaving you roses; I promise you I've never done anything like that before and would usually be disgusted by the idea.

Then, on the other paw, the Jellicles don't like me in the slightest and as such I couldn't just pop in to try to meet you as a normal cat would. That's nothing compared to the horrible obsession I've been locked in with you though and I really, really want you to know how sorry I am that even now I cannot believe how amazing you are and how wonderful just being near you and holding your paw makes me feel. I am truly sorry and even more so since I just don't care. This feels right even though I know it's so terribly wrong"

It was then Misto's turn to think and now that he'd been told straight from the horse's mouth the origin and detail of the appearance of his roses he didn't quite know what to think. There was the side that was still incredibly sweet and caring due to the niceness of the gesture but now there was this cruder side of their giver's obsession. It was strange and a little frightening and as such Misto didn't know what to do with it.

In the end the tux took a deep breath and came out with what he felt in his heart.

"I don't think you did anything wrong"

Macavity quickly changed his expression to one of disbelief before resolving back to warmness which looked surprisingly good coming from a reputably frightening cat such as he.

"You don't know what you're saying," he nearly whispered

"I think I do because I have something to confess as well," said Misto rearranging himself to his knees so he was more at level with the red tom's eyes, "I've been thinking about you. I didn't know what to do about it but I found I couldn't get you out of my head for the days after we first met and it even went so far as the tribe noticing how differently I was acting"

"You can't be serious" aid Macavity with intrigue, "You were thinking about me?"

"With, I'd say, just as much obsession. I desperately wanted to meet you properly but I knew that unless you came to me there was no chance of it. If anything though that made me want it even more"

"But why?"

"Because," began Misto before looking down embarrassedly and then back up again, "because that short time we spent together stirred something inside me that felt absolutely wonderful and I couldn't let it go. That and, well, you are…"

"Yes?" asked Macavity with an anticipant smile as Misto paused.

"…You are very handsome. In fact, the most handsome cat I've ever known"

Macavity felt his own cheeks beginning to heat up a little as well although his intricately patterned face disguised it much better than Misto's white did. To hear his sentiments echoed in this beautiful little tom in front of him was truly a gift and he couldn't believe that what was being said was real.

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course" said Misto almost with concern that Macavity might not believe it himself and then courageously lifting the paw he'd placed on top of the other and reaching to take the red tom's other in it.

Together they stared into each other's eyes for a long moment knowing that nothing really needed to be said as they basked in the feeling they provided each other with. Everything was going so fast and jumping in leaps and bounds from where they had been not ten minutes beforehand and as they knelt in front of each other in the moonlight they both could tell that whatever it was that was going on it was both incredibly important to each of them and incredibly special.

A few moments later Macavity suddenly had a brainwave and broke his gaze and paw holding with Misto to turn and grab for the rose he had just remembered was lying behind him. Very carefully he picked it up from the ground, inspected it for damage and then turned to meet Misto's gaze once more and smiling.

"This is for you," he said suddenly putting on his suave demeanour that when combined with receiving the rose made Misto feel incredibly skittish inside.

"How did you know they were my favourite?" asked Misto trying not to let his excitation show.

"I didn't but you certainly seemed to like them in that garden a few days ago"

"You were in that garden?"

"Secretly watching you I'm afraid. Again, I'm sorry"

Misto looked back down at the fresh rose and then smiled back at Macavity,

"There's no need. It was incredibly sweet of you to think of bringing me even one"

"Well, as I said, I wanted to say thank you"

"Ah yes," said Misto slicking his eyes down to Macavity's abdomen making sure to take in the well toned muscles of his chest and arms along the way which elicited a little sparkle in his heart and – shamefully – in his loins. "I hope it's not hurting anymore"

"No, thank you for asking"

"You're welcome, thank you for the roses"

"You're welcome"

* * *

Demeter sat sleepily in Bombalurina's den as the red queen blabbered on about something to do with Tugger and as she attempted to pay attention so too did she find she was beginning to drift off. Her eyes were heavy and all she really wanted was to go home and flop down on her bed with her mate by her side. There was no chance of that though since it was Munkustrap's night to watch the junkyard and he was always far too attentive to try and distract from his post. When Bomba had suggested she come over to her den for a while she had been unwilling from the offset and found now that she really ought to have listened to her wishes when she had the option to stay in her den.

"Oi! Are you listening?" came a sassy voice from next to Demeter making her look up dozily.

"Uh? What?" the black and gold queen asked suddenly finding herself back in the room.

"I asked you a question"

"Oh, you did? I'm sorry, dear, what was it?"

"It was whether you think Tugger should…or shouldn't…oh, I can't remember now"

"You get too hung up on that hairy idiot," she said as she closed her eyes again and propped her head up on her paw.

"Yeah, well, we can't all nab Munks"

"Too true" Demeter mumbled as she dozed causing Bomba to frown at her and feel even more perturbed.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Hm?"

"You're practically falling asleep on me"

"Oh, right," sighed the drowsy queen before yawning widely, pausing and then yawning again. She sat there with a very vague look about her with the appearance as if she wanted to be anywhere else but there. It was a look her friend was quick to pick up on and being the queen she was she wasn't about to let her off easily.

"Jeez, Deme, at least stay awake when I'm offloading onto you"

"Isn't your offloading at my pleasure and not yours?"

"Perhaps, but he's properly wound me up this time and I need to let it all out"

"Who?"

"Tugger!"

"Oh, right. Of course"

Bomba stared at her friend with something approaching to disbelief and could see there was something else going on.

"Are you really alright? It's not like you to be so…like you are right now"

The black and gold queen sighed and opened her eyes properly to solemnly look into her friends for a moment. Bomba was her dearest friend and she knew she could share anything with her but for some reason it seemed what was really bothering her was too difficult to discuss with Bomba in particular. She most definitely knew the reason though and whenever it crossed her mind she was thrown back to the dark time in their shared pasts that was haunting her now. It didn't seem fair in a way to have to force Bomba to revisit it too since she knew it was just as bad for her – or at least nearly as bad – and she didn't want to upset her.

"I'm fine, it's just that I haven't been sleeping very well recently" she eventually came out with.

"Why's that?" asked the red queen suddenly switching to concern.

"It's…it's not important"

"Well, from the sounds of it it's important"

"No, well, maybe it is but really it's nothing. I don't want to burden you with it"

Bomba sat back on where she was sitting and held out her paws in a friendly fashion.

"Darling, I dump all of my problems on you everyday of my life. Why don't we, for once, switch roles?"

"No, I couldn't…"

"Why ever not?"

"Because it would upset you and I really don't want to do that"

"Deme, come on" she said reaching out and taking her friend's paw, "whenever we have a problem we see it through together. There's no use in being a martyr and letting the weight of whatever's wrong crush you. Besides you know what they say, 'a problem shared is a problem halved'".

Demeter closed her eyes and sighed once again before looking back up and placing her other paw on top of the one that was held by her friend. With apprehension in her voice she slowly began to tell of what was bothering her.

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you. A couple of nights ago I had a dream, well, more of a nightmare really and it had…someone in it"

"Someone?"

"Yes, someone bad"

"Well, who?"

She hesitated before she revealed of whom she was speaking,

"Macavity"

Straight away she saw an even greater look of concern fill Bomba and looked back down in order to carry on.

"It was a horrible nightmare and some of it didn't make sense but it was definitely him in it and it was really frightening"

"It was just a nightmare, Deme, he can't hurt you in your sleep"

"That's not the end of it though. I woke up from it and straight away it felt as if he were here and it was so very real and so distinct that it couldn't have been anything else"

"Maybe it was just remnants from the dream"

Demeter shook her head,

"I don't know, it really did feel real. You know the feeling, don't you?"

Bomba looked off into space for a moment and seemed to try and stifle an unpleasant feeling before she spoke again,

"Yes, although I don't think it's as bad as what you get"

"Then of course you know how real it feels and how you really can't mistake it for anything else"

"Well, okay, so…was he actually here then?" Bomba asked showing a little worry.

"Well, I told Munk and he went and looked all through the night but he couldn't find a thing. It was so real though and I just can't bear to think that he's been coming here and lurking right under our noses doing whatever it is he does nowadays"

Bomba was quiet for a moment as she watched her friend slowly become more and more distressed by what she was saying and then finally began to rub her paw gently.

"Well, it's okay. It only happened once and you're safe so maybe you shouldn't worry"

"But it happened yesterday too and I couldn't sleep all night because of it"

"You mean you felt him again?"

Demeter nodded more frantically.

"That's…I don't know what it is but it's…it's just spooky"

"I know it sounds mad but it feels just like that and the worst thing is I feel it even now"

Bomba widened her eyes and stood up quickly,

"You mean right now he's close?"

Demeter looked up and nodded fearfully once again.

"Well, we've got to do something!" said the red queen becoming more frantic, "We've got to tell Munk or Alonzo or somebody!"

"But I told Munk yesterday and the day before and he found nothing and I know the same thing will happen if I tell him tonight"

"Well, we can't be too careful. I mean, this is the kind of stuff Macavity does"

"Is it though?"

"Well, of course"

"Think though, Bomba, if this is real and he is playing tricks on us then why did he never do anything of the like when he was still a Jellicle?"

"He would have been capable, he just might not have done anything then"

"But why would he now? That's the question"

"I…" began to red queen before stopping to think and then giving up, "…I don't know. I don't know what to think"

"That's exactly how I feel"

The two were silent for a while and Bomba slowly relocated herself to sit next to her friend as they both tried to think through their strife. It wasn't until Bomba heard a gentle sniffling emanate from next to her that she turned her head and saw Demeter trying not to cry.

"Oh, sweetheart! Come here" she said wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close, "It's okay, nothing bad has happened"

"But I don't know what to do, Bomba" the black and gold queen said through sobs, "Him just being in my mind is enough to frighten the life out of me and I don't know how to make it right again."

"It will be, Deme, it will be"

"But what if he's not here and I'm just going mad? In fact, he can't be here or we would have noticed so it must be that"

"I'm sure that's not it. I suppose you're right and yes we probably would have noticed something but I'm sure you're not going mad"

"Oh, I don't know…"

Demeter sobbed for a little while longer before she carried on tearfully,

"I hate remembering what happened. It was so horrible"

Bomba took a moment to remember for herself and suddenly found her evening took a darker turn as she relived the horrifying moments that were the cause of their terror's exile.

"I know…I know, dear. I hate it too"

"I can still see it all so clearly and…and the screams. Oh, Everlasting! The screams!" she said before turning into her friend's fur and crying harder. Bomba felt a shudder rack her as she too remembered to horrific sound of those life-changing moments all those years ago and as such felt turmoil on the inside. She had never really come to a decision about the way those events had transpired and while she knew what Demeter was talking about was truly awful she still didn't know what to believe about their cause.

Hugging the other queen tightly she too joined her attempts at fending off the sudden sorrow they both felt.

"Shh, dear, it's alright. Just try to think of something else"

"It's so vivid though, and I still can't believe he did it"

"Well, it happened so quickly and everyone was so angry before it did"

"But…how could he not have held it in? How could he not have controlled himself?"

Bomba shook her head slowly,

"I don't understand magic so I don't know"

The two were quiet again for a moment before Demeter once again piped up.

"I miss her, Bomba"

"I know. I do too" replied the red queen as she thought of whom her friend was speaking about, "She was lovely"

"How could he have done it? I thought he loved her"

"I thought he loved me. And you. I suppose none of it was true"

"He really is a monster"

Bomba wondered what to say and then simply came out with,

"I suppose we'll never know if that's true though. I never would have thought he'd be capable of such a thing but…it did happen. Somehow I just don't know what I'm meant to believe"

"She was my sister. He did that to my only sister.

"It happened so fast, I barely remember how it all happened"

"I do. Everlasting Cat, I do"

The pair continued to sit and comfort one another as they revisited the tragic events in their past all the while wondering if these new feelings Demeter felt were really real or just ghosts haunting her from a distant memory.

* * *

Back outside in the dark of night with the moon shining down the two cats who had been knocked head over heels in every way imaginable continued to sit with one another with the nervous tension between them slowly starting to subside. They had held each other's paws for a long while without saying anything as they bathed in the rushing, mystical warmness that flowed between them and delighted in the strange newness of it as well as its all-encompassing glory. It truly meant something but try as they might neither one of them knew what.

Finally, when Misto had suddenly realised he was staring, the smaller tom looked away shyly and brought his paws away from Macavity's before deciding there was no use in gawping like an idiot and instead could be putting his time to much more useful – and admittedly eagerly desired – use.

"So" began Misto cheerily

"So" repeated Macavity

"What's someone like you being interested in someone like me?"

"I told you, you're beautiful"

Misto suppressed a kittenish giggle before continuing,

"No, I mean, I'm just a run-of-the-mill, black and white Jellicle. I thought that was the type of cat you hated"

"Usually I might say that was correct although not for you. Never for you"

"But why?"

"Well, I don't know. There's something about you that draws me in so strongly. I can see quite plainly the things that make it up like you being so attractive and also how skilled you are at your magic but when you put them all together something seems to happen which makes them surge with greatness. You are, quite plainly, fantastic all around"

"Oh go on…" said Misto beginning to blush again.

"I mean it" said Macavity calmly and kindly finding that now he was actually able to be close to and talk to the smaller cat without turning into jelly and losing all control.

"So you're interested in my magic?"

"Very much so. I was utterly gobsmacked when I saw what you did at your ball and straight away I was fascinated and wondered what else you could do"

"Well, that was quite a complicated one"

"Even so, I'm very curious to test you"

"To test me?"

Macavity screwed his eyes shut and shook his head slightly before attempting to correct himself,

"No, I didn't mean test. I meant that I just want to see all the things you can do"

"All the things?" asked Misto with a hint of disbelief.

"Can there be that many?"

"Yes, there can. I don't just have a set of tricks, there's all sorts of things I can do with my magic"

"Really?"

"Yes" said Misto getting a little smug.

"Okay then" replied Macavity picking up on the smaller tom's change in tone, "Let's see you do something with that" he said as he pointed to the rose Misto held.

The tux looked down at it and thought for a moment before smirking cheekily, snatching an old paint can from nearby and then proceeding to carefully crush the flower down into it without pricking himself until it disappeared as a mushy, floral mess inside the metal container. Macavity looked down at where he held the rusty can and gained a distinct look of annoyance at seeing Misto destroy the gift he'd given him but then began to wonder when he saw the tux was still smirking.

A second later Misto quickly flipped the can and slammed it down on the ground eliciting a small flash from around the rim. Carefully he then began to lift the can up and to Macavity's surprise twelve white roses exactly the same as the one Misto had crushed fell out onto the ground and were scooped up by the young magician a moment later. Happily he breathed in the scent of his new bouquet and then opened his eyes to the red cat sitting nearby and smiling at the look of approval he displayed.

"I really do love white roses," Misto said quietly before stepping forward and dropping them on the bigger tom. Macavity smiled as they dropped down around him and then looked back to Misto.

"Very good, Misto, I'm impressed"

"Well, that's what I was going for"

"Yes, but is that as far as it goes?"

"Sorry?"

"Making things appear out of nowhere. That seems to be your speciality"

"I can do other things," the tux said proudly

"Show me then" said Macavity as he leant back on his paws and waited to be entertained.

Misto looked around and wondered what he might be able to do to really impress the bigger tom in front of him. He didn't want him to think he was simple practitioner of simple tricks and desperately wanted him to find him even more interesting in this way. Turning his head to the other side he smiled when he saw a discarded piece of wood lying nearby and instantly reached out and brought it to sit between him and Macavity.

Gently he ran his paws over it before bringing them back, clicking his fingers and then watching as the wood suddenly set alight.

Macavity marvelled at the sudden glow and then let out a single chuff along with a persistent nod of being impressed.

Misto wasn't done though and as he began to click his fingers over and over again so too did the flames instantly change colour from orange, to blue, to purple, to green, to white and so on. As this kept happening Macavity began to chuckle and changed to shaking his head back and forth as he became more and more impressed by the little tux and every now and then snuck a peak of the cheeky grin on his gorgeous face.

When Misto could think of no more colours to change his mini-inferno into he clapped his paws together and the fire went out. Without hesitating he then picked up the charred hunk of wood and enticed Macavity to watch as he began to scratch as the ashy surface. A few moments later he held out the dark object to his companion and with a smile simply said,

"Chocolate?"

Macavity looked up at him, then at the apparently pristine stick of chocolate being presented to him and then back up to meet the eyes of Misto once more with amazement.

"Try it to see if it's real" he carried on

Macavity tentatively reached out took what Misto was offering him and slowly brought it closer to inspect. It certainly looked legitimate and so with a certain wonder about him broke of an end and brought it to his lips. Delicately he placed it inside his mouth and tasted it before suddenly realising that the tux's trick was successful and that he was most certainly tasting the sweet, rich taste of milk chocolate.

"Everlasting Cat, Misto!" he said after he swallowed, "That is pretty good!"

"Pretty good?" asked Misto feigning annoyance that the compliment wasn't strong enough.

"Very well, it was quite amazing"

"That's more like it"

"I told you I could do more"

"And you weren't lying. I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with you"

Misto perked up at that and suddenly became very interested in what had been said.

"You mean you want to see me again?"

"Of course!" said Macavity brightly, "How can we very well not see each other now? Misto, every time I see you I find something even more amazing about you and I'd really hate not to explore you further"

"What was that you were saying earlier about coming on too strongly?" he shot back cheekily.

"Even so, I'm so very interested in you and I really would like to get to know you better…if you'll let me"

Misto smiled very widely and tried desperately not to show too many teeth as he did so. He was so glad to hear Macavity wanted to see him again and couldn't believe it was all going so well between them having only just really met. Through all of this though there was still one question pressing and it seemed to him that now was as perfect a time as any to ask it and as he geared himself up so too did he feel his heart start to beat faster and voice begin to quiver.

"You say you're interested in me…does that mean you're…'interested'…in me?"

Macavity paused and smiled with a certain devilishness coming about him as he did so. Putting on his most charming self he looked Misto in the eye alluringly and spoke in a voice that practically dripped with charm.

"If I told you yes, would you believe me?"

"Would you be telling me the truth?" asked Misto nervously

"Without a doubt"

"Then yes, I would"

"Then yes, I am interested…very interested"

Misto suddenly felt a flutter in his stomach at the prospect of being desired and was fascinated by the strangeness of the new feeling. He'd never been fancied before – or at least not seriously – and it really did feel quite amazing. It was as if somehow his privacy had been invaded in some way but in such a manner that he didn't at all care. It was as if he was happy to welcome this intruder into his physical being and couldn't be gladder to bask in his admiration.

Needless to say Misto now had a huge crush on Macavity and was so excited to think they might be at the start of something amazing. He didn't want to let his mind run away with him but instantly he began to see flashes of having Macavity as his boyfriend and touching him and kissing him and getting along like wildfire.

"I'm interested in you too" Misto suddenly blurted out taking the bigger tom by surprise but then he smiled as he watched the tux repeat the adorable process of recoiling in embarrassment and looking away shyly whilst smiling. It was perhaps the cutest thing Macavity had ever seen and it drew him even more into this cat who he already found so fascinating and beautiful.

"I'm glad. I was rather hoping I hadn't scared you off"

"You couldn't"

"And why's that?"

"Because…because you're so bloody…so bloody…I don't know. I just know that I don't want to be anywhere else right now"

"Well then, I suppose I must be more powerful than I thought"

"But you're already so powerful. You're the Napoleon of Crime"

Macavity chuckled,

"Yes, but I assure you, my dear Mistoffelees, all of that is just one side to me and I promise that you haven't seen anything yet"

"You can call me Misto" he replied shakily as he wondered how on earth one cat could be so alluring using just his words and began to feel a swoon coming on again before he made sure to grab onto self control once more and try to look just as divine as the big red tom in front of him did at that moment.

* * *

Stirring gently, a satin-coloured queen lifted her head from where she lay and soon found that the den she was in was not her own. Looking around slowly she saw items belonging to a friend of hers and soon figured out that she was in Victoria's den where she could remember she had been before falling asleep.

Another look at her surroundings placed her curled up on that very friend's bed taking up just enough room to make it unusable to anyone other than herself and as such soon found the white queen sleeping soundly and surprisingly comfortably in an old, thrown out sink across from her such as cats often do.

Without taking too long she realised she must have fallen asleep in her friend's den and being the sweetheart that she was Victoria probably hadn't had the heart to wake her or shift her from her total claim to the comfort of the bed. Jemima hadn't meant to take up the entire thing though, she hadn't even intended to fall asleep but these things were not always under the control of a cat and as such the usual feline narcolepsy was occasionally the victor over her usually bright-eyed and alert cheeriness.

Lazily forcing herself up she steadied herself on her paws next to the bed and yawned widely before loafing over to her sleeping friend. Carefully she pulled the drowsy queen to her paws and walked her across the den so she could use her own bed and then without knowing whether or not she had woken her up all the way she silently made her way to the door and left.

Out in the cool darkness of the junkyard she found herself alone with only the moon lighting her surroundings and as she flicked her eyes around she sniffed the air and savoured the distinctive smell of night. She was awake now and knew that getting back to sleep would be an impossibility and so turning to her right began a light stroll through the junkyard using her alone time to reflect.

It had certainly been rather a humdrum day and she wondered whether or not it would be long before she and Victoria became like most of the other queens in the yard and simply sat around chatting day in day out. Perhaps together they might learn to knit like Jenny was so often found doing in her rare spare time and the sudden feeling of antiquity made her cringe and want to shake out the sensation that she was in any way old.

She knew she was young, she knew it because she didn't entirely realise it and she'd long been told that time felt much more precious as a one gets older. Since time seemed to be in ample supply she put it down to not being of an age where it was so important and as such reassured herself that she wouldn't be taking part in any middle aged nattering with a gaggle of queens anytime soon – at least not with anyone other than Victoria and Misto.

Thinking of Misto she paused for a moment and remembered the way he had described what he was planning on doing that night. As she continued to think she began to wonder whether or not his plan had worked and whether or not his mystery visitor – if indeed there was one – had come at all. It seemed really quite exciting when she stood back from the situation and thought how nice it would probably be to have someone being so romantic and began to really hope that what Misto believed was the truth. Unfortunately it seemed that what he had suggested and was planning on proving was nothing short of farfetched and she hated to think that by the morning he would be disappointed.

Nonetheless, it was quite adorable to see the tux so full of beans as well as dreamily flittering about carrying those roses wherever he went. It made a change from his usual vagueness and tendency to behave more properly although she knew from experience that getting him to loosen up was quite a talent and she loved knowing that she was one of the few that had known his seriously playful side. Whoever this cat was – again, if there really was one – must certainly have been a good match for Misto if he or she was a natural at getting him to lose his properness just by giving gifts. Jemima then smiled as she realised again that she'd wondered if Misto's mystery cat might be a girl and really hoped it wasn't since she knew it would all be proven a waste of time for him and an unutterable disappointment.

Stopping and climbing up a junk pile she perched herself at the top and gazed up at the moon which shone back at her with its haunting, milky glow. There she stayed a while and tried to think who Misto might be seeking out and then when she found she couldn't think of anyone gave up and wondered why no one was after her in the same way.

It didn't take long for her to pinpoint the reason and as she closed her eyes and shook her head she simply thought to herself,

'_You've got to get it into your head, Jems: Tugger would be no good for you'_

* * *

"So is any of it true?" asked Misto casually much like the air their conversation now provided he and Macavity.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, how they say you're the worst cat imaginable and would stop at nothing to reach higher levels of depravity"

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm not sure I know everything they say about me but I suppose I could say that the line between what's false and what's true isn't in the place you probably think it is"

"How do you mean?" asked Misto as he leaned forward onto his paw which rested on his knee as he sat on the ground and continued to hang on the red tom's every word.

"Well, they say I'm a despicable criminal and have broken a lot of the law"

"Every human law and the law of gravity is what we sing here," corrected Misto

"The law of gravity? Well, I'd say that much is true"

"It is?"

Macavity simply smirked and proceeded to slowly levitate up from the ground and hovered in that position for a moment or two before dropping back down.

"Wow" breathed Misto feeling like jelly on the inside in response to the wonder that refilled him due to how impressive this cat was.

"And I'm not sure if I've broken every human law although I suppose I'm on my way"

"Oh really? So it's true that you're…you know…criminal"

"Most definitely. It would be silly of me to try and deny it because for one thing I'm not afraid of letting cats know."

"Oh" said Misto with a little more reservation making Macavity realise he had to fix that thought right away.

"But it's not all that bad. I'm not sure if you believe me but most of it's for a good cause"

"And what's that?"

"Well, I have quite a large staff working for me back at home and I need to provide for them"

"Do you mean slaves?" asked Misto as tentatively as he could.

"Oh, no! Absolutely not! Never would I force anyone into being my slave. The very thought is just horrible. No, I mean servants or rather henchcats as some cats call them. I didn't coin the phrase, it just popped up one day and I don't really mind it. I think it makes me sound more fearsome and tough in a way"

"So you like appearing fearsome?"

"Yes, I suppose so. At least with fear there's no mistake as to how it is I am meant to be treated and it makes my job a lot easier too. Besides, I've found over the years that the only way to survive out there on your own is to know that when the world bites you have to bite back harder"

"Oh…"

"Yes, and although I never expected things to turn out the way they did it seems that that's the way it went and so I've just gotten along as best I can"

"Seems like you've done a lot more than just getting along"

"You're very kind" he replied with a smile

"But does it make you happy? Being frightening I mean"

"It used to but things have been getting mundane lately. More than lately to be honest; it seems that I've been feeling rather bored of it all for a while now and though I used to enjoy it very much I'm finding it ever more difficult to do so"

"Is that why you gate-crashed our ball?"

"I think so. I was stuck in quite a rut and I wanted to see if I could still cause panic in the way I used to be able to"

"I think you more than succeeded," said Misto trying to sound as complimentary as possible.

"Well, I suppose so, at least until that idiot brother of mine jumped in"

"Munkustrap? You said you two don't get along"

Macavity paused and looked down as he sighed a long, drawn out sigh and slumped slightly.

"No, we do not."

"Why's that?"

"Misunderstandings in the past" the red tom said with as he looked back up making it easy for Misto to see that there was far more to that statement than what had been said. Now didn't seem the time to press him though and as such the black and white tom decided to try and steer away.

"And Tugger too?"

"Oh, don't get me started on that twit. Honestly, I think a screwdriver has more brains than he does"

Misto chuckled, "I think you're right"

"I suppose he and I might have more of a chance on getting back to talking terms if indeed there was even the slightest chance I could get back on talking terms with any of them. Even so, I'm not too fussed"

"So you were a Jellicle at one point?"

"Yes, when I was younger but that was years ago now"

"I see. Well, you seem to have gotten along just fine without us"

"Yes, I suppose you're right," said Macavity with his smile returning.

"So then, I suppose there really is more to you than meets the eye, oh Napoleon of Crime"

"Yes. Well, I'd certainly say so"

"And I suppose you'd say you're not a monster of depravity?"

"Is that what they're saying now?" he laughed, "Well, no. I wouldn't say I'm quite that far yet"

"So just what are you then? Asked Misto readopting his look of sheer inquisitiveness that he'd been displaying on and off for a while.

"I'm just me, Misto. It would be wrong of me to say that I'm a saint since I'm quite clearly very far from it but on the whole I do consider myself a generally decent and very proper and passionate tom"

"Passionate?"

"Well, I'm very in touch with the way I view the world and what interests me most about it."

"Do you read?"

"Yes! All the time or at least what spare time I have. So many cats don't bother to even try it but I've discovered there's so much that can be imagined from simple black print on a page"

"Me too!" said Misto excitedly, "What do you read?"

"Oh, lots of things. Classics mainly but then again I'm not picky about what comes my way. When one can acquire anything that one desires like I can there's no need to be too choosy."

"You sound like you have a mountain stashed away somewhere"

"I think you'd be right. That's not my only interest though. I'm very interested in nature and the complexity of it. There's a certain something about that's so much greater than what we understand and it really is quite fascinating"

"That's exactly how I feel!" chirped Misto trying not to look too excited that they were quickly finding similarities amongst themselves.

"Well, that's wonderful. Enough about me though, let's talk about you for a bit"

"Oh, I'm nothing too special," said Misto bashfully and looking away once again and took a moment to try and relay that feeling to Macavity. A moment later he looked back and saw the bigger cat giving him a look which seems to indicate that he hadn't believed it for a second. "Oh, alright!" he continued happily, "I suppose I can do some things that other cats can't"

"Your magic you mean?"

"Yes"

"Yes, I find that incredibly fascinating about you. It was utterly astounded when you managed to snatch my father out of my clutches at your ball without so much as singeing yourself"

"Well, as I said, that was a trickier one"

"Even so, I wonder what else you can do"

"I already showed you what else"

"No, I mean, I wonder just what it is that…draws me in so much"

Misto blushed again,

"Oh, stop it!" he said playfully.

"No, I mean it. It's more than what I can see on the outside, that much I know for sure. There's something else about you, something locked within that's so very…appealing and I just can't shake the need to find out what it is"

Misto forced a kittenish giggle to stay inside of him and tried his best not to look as jelly-like as he felt. Macavity had such a way with words and he didn't understand it but those words he knew could command him to do anything he wanted. The red tom was truly a master at being charming and Misto didn't even put up a fight as he felt himself being conquered by the bigger cat.

"I bet you say that to every cat you take a shine to," Misto said with a quiver.

"No, my dear, only to you. I've never met another that's commanded such a desire within me and I can't believe I didn't find you sooner"

"Do you mean it?" asked Misto wondering how on earth Macavity had made his heart beat frantically once again.

"Of course."

Misto simply gazed back at him like a lovesick kitten for a few moments and Macavity simply smiled back at the adorable display.

"Misto? Are you alright?"

The tux shook his head,

"Uh…yes. I was just…uh…"

"A little tired? It is late after all"

"Uh…yeah. That must be it"

"Well, I do hope that doesn't mean you won't be coming with me," said the bigger tom as he began to rise up.

"Coming where?" asked Misto copying his actions.

"I was rather hoping we'd get out of this junkyard and go somewhere we could talk a little more…or rather a little less dangerously"

"You mean Munk?"

"Yes"

"I don't think he'll be finding us anytime soon"

"Even so, I was thinking we might have a walk"

"Where did you have in mind?"

Macavity looked around,

"Oh, I don't know. Anywhere we like"

"I don't know…will we be long? The others might get worried if I'm gone for too long"

"It's the middle of the night, Misto, who will notice you're not here?"

"I suppose nobody will"

"So, will you come with me?" Macavity asked holding out his paw for Misto to take. The tux simply looked at it for a moment and felt a huge wave of excitement rush through his body. He knew he shouldn't and he knew it would be going against everything he had ever been warned about but the thrill of it was just too much to pass up. Tentatively he took the red tom's paw and looked him in the eye.

"What kind of idiot would I be to refuse such an offer from a cat as fascinating and as handsome as you?"

Macavity smiled,

"Does that mean you're starting to take a shine to me too?"

Misto smiled back,

"Starting? I took a shine to you a week ago. Now I can't help being really into you"

"And why's that?"

"Because you're…exactly who I've been looking for since what seems like forever"

"As what?"

Misto smiled warmly before replying,

"A friend. A best friend. Maybe more. Maybe much more. In fact, hopefully much, much more than just a best friend"

"Wow, now you're being more forward than I ever was"

"Really?"

"Well, maybe. Maybe not."

"What can I say? You're just too enticing"

**So are they going on a date? I don't know. What do you call eagerly accepting an offer of an aimless walk in the middle of the night without telling anyone where you're going with a widely known criminal with the reputation of the devil? Brief psychotic disorder is what I call it, Misto. You should know better!**

**Thanks for reading. If you've got a review then please hit the button below and let me at it. I do so love to hear what you think whatever that may be.**

**Next chapter soon. x**


	7. Flirtation

**Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the waves! That means I'm back home in merry old England now and I gotta say it's nice to be back. Germany was fabulous – especially since they had a Cats tour – and I think the time was enriching on the whole. Still, back to normal now and yay with the everyone speaking English again. **

**Also, I had hoped back when I planned this story – like six months ago or something – that it would only be about ten chapters long. As always though I've gotten carried away with myself and am probably going to be writing at least fifteen. Sorry 'bout that!**

**By the way, it might be worth typing Primrose Hill into Google Image search before you read this just to get an idea of what I will be getting at later on.**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 7**

**Flirtation**

How wonderful that feeling is to be free in the night to make the sleeping, silent world one's own. How mystical and magical the air appears and gives rise to the allusion that the soft breeze makes it sparkle as if the stars themselves are floating down to the ground like so many leaves falling in autumn. How wonderful it is to be with someone that sees it too and wants nothing more than to rejoice in the enchantment of the night with no one but you. This is the way in which Misto felt his life had been transformed and as he was gently led by the firm yet peculiarly inviting paw of Macavity so too did he feel like he was moving without his own paws touching the ground.

Macavity had captivated him in every sense imaginable and it felt as if the small, black and white tom's heart was beating only for him in their so far short time together. The red tom was fascinating to look at even from behind and it didn't matter whether it was the daring, striking tones of his fur that so elegantly yet masculinely hugged the well-toned, well-crafted muscles underneath or the wild, yet magnificent style of his mane or even the intricate, almost frightening but altogether incredibly compelling patterning of his piercing but handsome face that Misto couldn't see, the tux was still drawn in and so freely and carelessly lost himself in whatever it was that possessed him at that point.

Macavity knew where he wanted to take Misto and the thought put a small smile on his face as he led the smaller tom onwards. He couldn't quite believe how they'd so instantly warmed to each other on a personal level and now that the immediate shyness and sense of tension between them had seemed to completely disappear the big tom felt so much more at ease and natural in what he was doing. Misto's paw in his felt strangely delicate and strong at the same time but above both of those feelings it felt like it fit so perfectly in his. So too did it let him feel that warm sense of something unknown yet energetic that put him on top of the world and he never wanted it to go away.

Neither one of them could remember how long they had been outside the junkyard by now although Macavity probably had a better chance of making the best guess than the smaller tom he had in tow. Every now and then he snuck a look back at Misto who followed him in an almost trance-like state and then looked away so to hide the wider smile that almost appeared instantly from just looking at him. Misto was following him and it wasn't creepy or a product of his deviance. He was following him of his own free will and to know that he had an interest to do such a thing filled Macavity with a warmness that he so rarely felt nowadays.

Around street corners and past buildings which seemed to grow ever taller they went without Misto noticing much else other than the superb specimen of tom in front of him and as the moon lighting their way began to be replaced more and more by the amber glow of streetlights so too did Macavity find himself getting closer to where he wanted to take Misto on this very special and eventful night.

Had Misto looked around he would have found his surroundings rather foreign and altogether a little scary but thanks to his fascination in Macavity he wasn't at all afraid. It wasn't until he was lead to a rather open area with the sudden replacement of the buildings by trees that he was distracted from his daze and looked around at where he was. Suddenly he stopped causing him to tug on Macavity's arm and at the sudden resistance the bigger tom looked around with puzzlement and was greeted by the upward and sweeping glances of the newly inquisitive and somewhat worried Misto.

"Is something wrong?" Macavity asked without letting his debonair persona let up for a moment. Misto looked around for a moment more before looking back at him and smiling weakly before asking,

"Where are we?"

"It's called Primrose Hill. I thought it would be somewhere you'd like to see. That is if you haven't seen it before"

"No" replied the black and white tom quietly.

"Then I hope you won't be disappointed"

Misto simply smiled back and went on with Macavity who instead of leading him stepped to his side so they could amble along together. As they did so the red tom looked at his companion and spoke to him with his normal voice which incidentally dripped with pure allure as always.

"You've been rather quiet for a while now. Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes" said Misto politely.

"Good; I was just wondering. I must say you seem rather a quiet cat"

"Well, I suppose sometimes that's true"

"I'm sure there's much more going on inside than most realise"

"You think so?"

"I think I know so. I already know you're far cleverer than you let on"

"Stop" said Misto bashfully.

"Well, perhaps it doesn't need to be said. It's obviously the truth."

"You can talk. You seem to keep your cards pretty close to your chest"

"Well, it's almost a necessity when you're me"

"Because you're so mysterious?" he taunted

"I like to think so"

"Less and less so it seems to me"

"Don't tell me I'm letting my guard down"

"Would that be such a crime?"

"A terrible one if it wasn't you I was letting it down for"

Misto looked away and smiled. It was staggering that the way in which the red tom spoke to him always seemed to be the exact right thing to make him feel wonderful. Slowly they continued to walk onto the parkland in the middle of the city and began to ascend the hill which gave the area its name.

"So what makes you think I'm such a safe cat to divulge your secrets to?"

"How do you know I'm not feeding you a bunch of lies just to impress you?"

"Are you?"

"Well, you say I'm mysterious. Perhaps nobody knows me apart from myself"

"I'm sure I'm figuring you out slowly"

"How are you sure?"

"Because I've never met anyone that it feels more like they're telling me the truth"

"Do you trust your instincts?"

"Always. They've never let me down before"

"And what are they telling you about me apart from that?"

"That being here with you feels right"

Macavity looked at Misto in silence for a moment whilst smiling and then looked away with the same smile. Misto watched whilst smiling too and felt even better when he replied.

"I'm sure it's right then that I feel the same"

"You do?"

"Of course"

The two continued to walk up the hill together and it wasn't long before they reached the top. Once there Macavity stopped Misto and turned him around to look back over the trees they'd walked past a short while beforehand and remained quiet as the smaller tom took in the expanse before him.

"Wow" Misto said quietly as he stared at the city lights.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's…I've never seen it this way before"

"Have you seen it in any way before?"

"Only from the ground"

"Well, I'm glad I'm here for the first time you see it from above"

"So am I" said Misto turning to him briefly. The two shared a glance for a moment before turning back towards the lights without having said anything. Nothing needed to be said in all honesty as it was quite clear by the looks they gave each other that they both felt the same.

"What's that over there?" asked Misto after a few moments more of gazing.

"Where?"

"There. That circular…thing"

Macavity looked in the direction he was pointing and quickly focused on a brightly coloured wheel jutting up into the skyline.

"Oh that. They call it the London Eye"

"An eye?"

"It's a metaphor but that's not really important. It's a great big wheel that turns very slowly that you can ride on"

"Ride on it? Isn't that dangerous?"

"No. It has little capsules humans go into for the ride"

"It's big enough for humans?"

"Yes. It really is enormous and you can see the entire city from the top"

"You've been on it?" asked Misto with intrigue.

"Oh, yes. It's quite an interesting thing to do to be honest"

"Wow. I could never dream of doing something like that"

"Why on earth not?"

"Well…I'm a cat"

"And I'm not?" asked Macavity amused.

"You're Macavity. There's no stopping you from doing anything"

"I suppose not," the red tom said smugly.

"Did the humans not see you?"

"Yes, they saw me but I disappeared before they could do anything about it"

"Such as we'd all expect"

"Well, I hate to disappoint"

"So, do you come here often?"

"Not so often although I occasionally come here to think. I tend to think best when I'm at the top of something tall"

"Really?"

"Usually the roof of my lair suffices but sometimes it's nice to have a change of scenery"

"Oh, so that's where you live"

"What do you mean?"

"I've been wondering but couldn't quite think of where to place you"

"Well, I'll show it to you sometime if you'll let me"

"I'd like that"

"Alright then, I'll make sure I get around to it. Maybe even later if you're interested"

"Maybe indeed"

Macavity sat himself down and held out his paw to gesture for Misto to copy him. The tux sat next to him and side-by-side they continued their conversation only now a little closer together.

"So, we've been talking all evening, Misto, and I'm afraid I still don't know much about you"

"Well, what would you like to know?"

"Well, tell me about yourself. Who's Misto?"

Misto thought for a moment and then replied with less enthusiasm than the red tom had hoped.

"Well, there's really not much to tell. Me and my sister were born at our dad's humans' house in St. James and it wasn't long before we were sent to live at the junkyard"

"You have a sister?"

"Yes. Her name is Victoria and I think you've probably seen her before at some point. She's completely white and about the same height as me"

"Ah, yes. Goodness, she certainly is pretty"

"Excuse me?"

"Your sister. She's nearly as beautiful as you"

"That's more like it"

"Go on"

"Well, we've lived there for a long time and go about our lives however we want. She's not magical like me though"

"Not even a little bit?"

"Nope. She always got quite annoyed about it when we were kittens but she got over it"

"Just makes you all the more special"

"Well, you might say that," said Misto smugly.

"And your father; does he live in the junkyard?"

"No. He still lives in St. James and I don't really think he would suit anywhere else"

"I can't picture him"

"Bustopher Jones"

"Bustopher is your father?"

"Yes. Do you know him?"

"I know of him. I'd never expect someone like him to father someone like you though"

"How so?"

"Well…he is rather…"

"Fat?"

"To put it bluntly, yes. No offence"

"No, of course not. You're right though, he is incredibly fat and a lot of the time quite fat-headed too"

"Oh?"

"Yes, well I suppose that might be a bit harsh but whenever I spend time with him he always tries to make me into himself and that's not really someone I want to be"

"Why not?"

Misto sighed,

"I don't know. He's just a bit uptight and proper"

"Right. Well I'd say that you're nothing like him in that case"

Misto chuckled, "If I didn't know better I'd say that was an insult"

"Oh, no. I just meant you're in no way pompous or anything else like that"

"That's sweet of you"

"It's only the truth"

"Or so it seems"

"Really, it is" said Macavity with a renewed smile hoping Misto really wasn't suspecting him of lying. "It's really nice to be with you"

"Well, I hope I'm not being boring"

"Certainly not! You're amazing"

"So you keep saying but I hope it's not just because of what you can see"

"That's where it started but the mark is certainly moving. You're even more interesting on the inside"

Misto blushed again and looked down to try and hide his smile. Macavity simply took in the sight of it and enjoyed the warmness it brought for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening before carrying on.

"So, you've told me about your dad. How about your mother?"

"I don't really remember her to be honest. She disappeared a long time ago"

"Sorry to hear that"

"Don't be, I don't mind. Growing up was really nice and I suppose Victoria and I had the best of both worlds"

"Being a housecat and feral?"

"Yes, although I'm not sure I'd call myself that feral."

"Nor would I, you seem far too refined"

Misto looked at Macavity,

"Is that okay?"

"My dear Misto, that's just fine" said Macavity putting his paw on top of the smaller tom's. Together they sat for a moment looking into each other's eyes and once again they were allowed to communicate affection without talking. It was a strange sensation that they were both growing to love and without really paying attention to its progression Macavity soon noticed another urge was beginning to grow inside him. It was an urge that was far less mystical but just as profound and pure. It was a desire for Misto and as it grew so too did the red tom find he began to focus more on the smaller tom's perfect, shapely mouth and soft, tender lips with a strange draw to them. Just as what could be expected he soon found that urge grew massively but being a gentletom he did his best to push it to the back of his mind so as not to let it take him over. It persisted though and as his affection for Misto grew so too did his wish to kiss the smaller tom.

Doing his best to think clearly he attempted to continue the conversation.

"Tell me more about your magic. How did you find out you were magical?"

Misto smiled and suddenly gained a nostalgic look about him.

"Funny story" he began as he shifted closer to the red tom, "I suppose the first time I did something magical was when I was a kitten when my sister and I were still finding our way around the house. We were still quite small of course and humans don't make it easy for cats like us to get around and I think most of the time they try to restrict it as much as they can. Anyway, Victoria and I were at the top of the stairs and trying to find a way down but, of course, the steps were still a bit big for us. I decided to try to be big and brave to impress her but no sooner did I jump for the next step down did I slip on the carpet and tumble down the stairs all the way to the bottom where I landed in the coat cupboard. I don't know what I'd hit but all of a sudden I stirred up a lot of dust and started sneezing and with each one they got more and more violent until finally I sneezed so hard that I shot out sparks and set one of the coats on fire"

Macavity burst out laughing at Misto's story and leant back on one arm to steady himself. He did his best to keep as much composure as he could but there really was no point as he just couldn't keep from letting go. Soon he began to roar with laughter and the infectious nature of it all began to make Misto laugh along with him.

"That's not the end of it though" the magician continued, "Of course I ran straight out and hid somewhere and I suppose it was lucky that the sound of me falling made one of the humans come and see what the matter was and notice the fire I'd started. They called the fire brigade and everything!"

Macavity was still laughing and placed a paw on his stomach to try and steady the ache which was now beginning to grow there.

"Did you burn the house down?" he asked through his howls.

"No" Misto giggled, "but nearly. They never had a clue what caused it and the whole experience scared me away from the stairs for weeks!"

Macavity laughed and laughed and every time he tried to stop himself he found he couldn't shake whatever had him carrying on. Pretty soon though the convulsions died down into a small simmer of a chortle and with renewed control he took a few deep breaths to regain all the air he'd forced out.

"Oh, Misto. I never expected you to be so funny"

"Well, it was just the first in a long string of magical accidents I suppose."

"There've been more?"

"Many more. Too many to count I'd say and with a lot of variety. I nearly choked on a dice once"

Macavity chuckled again,

"You did?"

Misto nodded,

"The shock of it all made me forget why I had in my mouth in the first place"

"Oh, Misto" the red tom said shaking his head and smiling. Misto just shrugged and smiled back before directing the attention onto Macavity.

"So how did you find out you were magical?"

"Well, I wouldn't say I was magical like you are or had quite a story of discovery as that but I suppose it just happened one day and since then it's become quite useful"

"Useful how?"

"Well, levitating comes in very handy when I'm…up to no good…and the hypnosis has more than proved its worth"

"You can hypnotise cats?"

Macavity smiled with a little more menace about him,

"Not just cats. I'd say I could do it for most things that can be hypnotised"

"Wow" said Misto before suddenly having a thought and then feeling a little afraid. Tentatively he opened his mouth to speak and then in a quiet voice said "Even me?"

"I'm sure I could," said the bigger tom smugly.

"Oh…" said Misto wondering whether or not he'd already become prey to Macavity's trickery. It all seemed to fit but he really hoped it wasn't true. "Does that mean…you know…that you've already…with me?"

"Excuse me?" Macavity asked not knowing what the smaller tom was saying until he was given a look that said it all. Instantly he could see what the smaller tom was thinking and knew he had to put it right. "No, no, no! Definitely not! I promise you, Misto, I'd never do it to you"

"But you could"

Macavity sighed almost frantically, "Well, probably but I swear to you I wouldn't. You're too precious"

Misto sat next to Macavity silently for a moment thinking about what he'd said and wondered really whether he could trust even that. He'd been having the feeling the whole evening they'd been together and knew the entire time that the whole experience could be a lie. Why then did it all seem so right? Could that just be the nature his power? Then again, if he had been hypnotised then why were these questions popping up? Surely he wouldn't even realise something was wrong or was Macavity clever enough to allow him that much free thought in order to think he was still under his own control?

Moreover, why did he simply not care about all of that and simply want nothing else than to be there with him? He was fantastically handsome and Misto couldn't deny he had never been more attracted to any other cat – even Tugger who thankfully he now found somewhat repulsive ever since their 'accident'. Even if he was being hypnotised then why did it matter? He wanted to be put under Macavity's spell and desperately craved everything that was he. His looks, his voice, his mind, his body, his touch; Misto wanted it all and found that really he had no objections to letting himself fall into this devilish but wonderful tom.

"Precious?" asked Misto curiously revealing a little flattery. It relieved Macavity to no end and returned him to his contented ease.

"Incredibly precious" he said taking the smaller cat's paw once again and smiling at him whilst locking eyes.

"I don't think I've ever been called precious before"

"Perhaps fate was saving you so I could be the first one to call you it"

"I hope so"

* * *

Macavity and Misto remained talking and flirting for hours on that hilltop and throughout the time they spent together the strange feeling of attraction between them only grew more. Every now and then one of them would try to do something that might move them a little closer to the other but kittenish shyness always rendered the action into something supposedly less suspect; supposedly in the sense that the action was spared from being seen as an advance but quickly changed into being one of considerable awkwardness that caused both confusion and embarrassment for both of them.

It was not like Macavity to behave in such a way but he had long known since spying on Misto that such acknowledgement of the way he was acting was fruitless and even acknowledging the acknowledgement was getting quite tiresome in the shame it resulted in. He wished he knew the perfect way to show Misto how much closer he wanted to be and as the stars slowly drifted by overhead so too did he feel as if his opportunity was becoming more and more distant.

Misto, on the other paw, was far more accustomed to feeling bashful and embarrassed but in this new romantic setting he found he was at rather a loss for knowing how to deal with them. Macavity stirred up something both familiar and foreign within him and it was both entrancing and scary. Still, he was no stranger to the same shyness that was gripping his companion that evening and together they were stuck in that little enclave of dreamy apprehensiveness without being able to budge. That is until another half an hour went by and renewed tension came about.

With time seeming to fly by in their dreamful togetherness Macavity really found his desire was becoming too much to bear. They'd been talking for so long and every word made him want to kiss Misto more. He knew he wasn't in love but this enchanting effect the magician had on him made him just too curious and exciting to not want to kiss. He had to kiss him, there just didn't seem to be any other option but, as always, his gentletomly ways prevented him from being drastic and simply doing it. Quite rightly too since sensibility, of course, told him that such an action really would be creepy. There really would be no grey area with jumping forward and planting a huge great smooch on the tom before him. It would definitely be strange and he was pretty sure Misto didn't want his mouth to be raped. If there was anything that could destroy a date in such a clear and crude way then that certainly was it.

Misto as it happened began to feel rather the same. Everything about Macavity screamed tomliness and he did desperately want him. Fortunately for him the problem of distinguishing between infatuation and love wasn't even on the cards since this was all so new to him and as such he was simply enjoying the delight he found in Macavity being sat less than a metre away. That didn't fix his problem of wanting to kiss the red tom too though and the strange sensation of it gave him butterflies and made him feel – for lack of a better word – gooey on the inside. It was a feeling that made him want to giggle like a kitten and roll around in the same silly way and the reason for why Macavity being there made him want to do it was not at all clear. Still, there it was and strange as it seemed to be it didn't feel wrong.

As they continued to chat Macavity began to focus less and less on what the smaller tom was saying and more on the way his mouth moved and remained so beautiful. It was as if his lips were crafting the words like a sculptor making a statue and the artistry of both that and his very being were becoming more than Macavity could bear. His hunger to taste Misto's sweet lips was growing ever larger and the desire to feel his beautiful form move as he kissed him was simply carnal. The time was clearly coming when he would lose control and just do it and Macavity knew that such strong intentions could not be ignored – even by a cat with such a strong will and such a mastery of self-control as he.

It was then that he decided that perhaps he could save himself from such terrible embarrassment and put the moves on Misto that would lead him to his goal. It made him feel dirty and altogether disgraceful but the need for the smaller tom was becoming like the need for oxygen. He had to kiss him and he knew how to do it so to lead Misto into it – why on earth should he not do it if he knew he couldn't control himself?

With a steadying breath as he pretended to listen to what Misto was saying as he finished up whatever point he was on Macavity decided that now was the time to break out the big guns and seduce this beautiful cat if only to lock lips with him. It felt wrong and right and simply necessary by now and so without hesitating he turned his head to Misto with the first ensnaring phrase in his mind ready to go.

Just as he was about to speak he was interrupted by Misto suddenly leaning onto him and genuinely snuggling into his fur. It was quite a surprise to say the least and something that caught him completely off guard.

Unbeknownst to Macavity that had he been paying attention he would have noticed Misto getting slowly closer and giving strange but somehow clear signals that he wanted to do what he'd just done. Since Macavity hadn't somehow signalled otherwise the smaller tom had decided to simply take a chance and as such had reached across and pulled himself against Macavity's body to rest his head against his shoulder. It was warm there – not cold like some small part of him had expected – and he seemed to fit so perfectly much in the same way as a glove slipping onto a hand. There he simply remained silent and enjoyed the surprising softness of the bigger tom's fur and waited to see how he would react hoping secretly he might be enclosed by his strong, well-toned arms.

That is fortunately was happened but not before a slightly-too-long moment of hesitation on Macavity's part. It was so unexpected that he really had lost all cognitive power for a while and was left marvelling at the sudden closeness. It was only when he eventually clocked onto how amazing Misto being there felt that he quickly wrapped his arms around him and held him tenderly in the soft starlight – the moon having long set over the horizon to give them the privacy they deserved. There in the darkness they held each other without speaking for a long time but knew what each other wanted to say. Being together was perfection and in the surrealism and blindness of the moment leaving them absent of measured and balanced thought they couldn't believe how they had ever gotten along without each other in their lives. It seemed fate had designed them to fit so supremely together and whether that was true or not really wasn't important. In each other's arms, there on that quiet, oasis-like hilltop in the middle of London something was begun between them and while it may have been too mysterious to call love it was most certainly just as moving.

"Thank you for bringing me here this evening" said Misto quietly after an amount of time that would never be known to either of them.

"You're welcome," said Macavity through his lasting, airy bewilderment.

"I probably never would have ever come here had it not been for you"

"Well, I thought someone so beautiful deserved to go to somewhere nearly as beautiful as they were"

"Do you always use such tacky lines?" asked Misto with just enough cheek showing through his quiet calmness to be jokey.

"Only for the ones that really matter; not that there have been any of those before"

"Then I must be very privileged"

"Or the only one that deserves to hear my terrible attempts at being charming that are all I'm capable of saying when I'm like this"

"Like what?"

There was a short pause before Macavity finally said,

"When I'm knocked head-over-heels and can't think of how to say the right thing"

"If it's any consolation, I think what you've said is the only thing that can be right"

"So, the wrong thing is the right thing?"

"Could you say the wrong thing to anybody else?"

"Nobody but you"

"Then it must be the right thing"

Macavity smiled, "I promise I can do better"

"I don't think there could be anything better than what you've said to me"

"Then I must be better at this than I thought I was"

"Maybe it's just me that brings it out of you" said Misto taking a shot and making Macavity smile even more warmly.

"You know, Misto, I think you may be right"

* * *

The pair of amorous toms stayed there a long time simply hugging one another closely with the warmness they shared fending off the newly autumnal chill in the night air. It was so many things rolled into one but all of them were so very right. Macavity and Misto could find no better place to be in the world than with each other and for the first time in a long time it seemed the empty feeling they often felt nagging at the back of their minds and pulling gently on their hearts was a thousand miles away. Truly they did fit to each other and it seemed so heavenly that they had been thrown together on that very fateful evening.

The wonderful night did signal its end though as wonderful nights always do and of course the sun did begin to gently suggest the new day was approaching. Time had gone so quickly that Macavity and Misto just hadn't realised it had flown by and as such they both turned their heads to the horizon behind the still-glowing orange of the city to see the end of their perfect moment coming slowly but surely.

To Macavity it was quite disappointing as it seemed to him that he had missed his chance to kiss Misto. The setting had been perfect and it would have been ideal for them to begin something romantic. Then again, hadn't that already happened? True, they hadn't kissed each other but they certainly had become very close and to look at them in that moment was certainly to affirm that they were more than just being friendly. They were snuggled up tightly and intertwined with one another and that kind of closeness couldn't be considered anything but loving and adorable.

However, to Macavity it still felt as if kissing Misto would have been the icing on the cake of their evening together and for some reason it felt as if he'd failed both himself and Misto. The smaller tom certainly hadn't asked to be kissed but Macavity did presume that he might have wanted it. It seemed as if it were the appropriate thing to have done and having not done it seemed like he hadn't given Misto the evening he deserved.

As it happened, Misto didn't feel like that. He was simply overwhelmed with Macavity holding him close and above all things he was completely swimming in the drug-like effect Macavity's big, strong arms had as they rested on and caressed his smaller body. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before and it was such a different kind of magic that was so much more feral that he couldn't help but let it in and soak his body. It was so fantastic that it left him almost void of outside consciousness and that was why it was so disturbing when suddenly Macavity pulled away from him.

At first Misto wondered if he'd done something wrong and after he'd quickly questioned the sudden coldness on his fur where Macavity had been he looked up into the bigger tom's eyes that still stared back with the lovingness that had been in his touch. Had he done something wrong to make the bigger tom pull away? Had he become boring and not given him anything to want to stay close for? For Misto the whole moment was rather confusing and somewhat worrying and as such he was left sitting in silence waiting for his companion to make the next move.

"It's very late," said Macavity finally, "Perhaps we best move on"

"I think you mean…well, I suppose it is nearly morning"

"It is" smiled Macavity giving a nod to the horizon.

"Do we have to go?"

"Well, that depends. Would it be strange for you to be seen wandering back into the junkyard?"

"I suppose so" said Misto feeling the wind slowly leaving his sails, "It's just…I really don't want to have to go. This is just too nice"

Macavity took his paw and rubbed it gently in his,

"It really is…and I wish we could stay here longer"

"Me too"

"It wouldn't do well for me to be seen sitting about in broad daylight though. I suppose I still have a reputation to maintain"

"Oh, right…" said Misto looking away.

"I wouldn't mind jeopardizing it for you though"

"You wouldn't?"

"Certainly not"

"Well, maybe you can jeopardize it another time?" asked Misto hopefully making Macavity smile even more.

"Ah, Misto. I'm counting on it"

The two shared another long gaze before Misto once again became bashful and looked away kittenishly. It warmed Macavity as it always did and gave him his moment to stand and offer a paw to help Misto do the same. Slowly they began to wander off in the direction they had come as if they had never been there in the first place as the sun got ever closer to peeking over the horizon. Strangely for Macavity, on this occasion he did not leave behind an air of fearfulness and terror. This time the world seemed bright and with a distinct feeling of calmness.

It was simply nice and oddly enough Macavity didn't mind.

* * *

A short while later when the sun was just beginning to turn the sky from inky blue to orange Macavity and Misto found themselves standing at the entrance to the latter's den back in his junkyard home. The pair had sauntered back through the quiet, usually animated streets of London with a wistful manner about them and hadn't said much as they had gone. They were simply too internally awestruck at the surrealness the entire night had possessed and whilst both felt their quietness made them look idiotic in the face of the other they never let on about how they felt and hence never realised they were both just being silly. They both felt so free and so wild and as if they had accomplished something they never should have been allowed to do – that in itself was pretty much the truth. It was altogether fantastic and they so wished it didn't have to end there.

Looking into the bigger tom's eyes Misto opened his mouth to speak dreamily,

"Do you want to come in for a bit?"

Macavity smiled back,

"And what would Munkustrap say if he found out?"

"He doesn't have to"

"Well, we'd best not tempt fate"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm afraid so. Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder"

"So that does mean you want to see me again?"

"Of course it does. I can't wait!"

"Me either! When will you come again?"

"How about after sunset again?"

Misto quickly glanced to the glowing horizon and then back,

"No sooner?"

"I'm sure you can manage for a few hours"

"Maybe" he smiled

"Alright then, I suppose I'd best get going"

"Alright"

"Misto" Macavity began before pausing as if he couldn't think of what he had planned to say. The pause was again slightly too long but he did persist when the words came back, "I really enjoyed spending the night with you"

Misto felt the red tom's words warm him once more and smiled back almost goofily,

"I really enjoyed it too. I've never met anyone like you before in my life"

"I hope that's a compliment"

"It is and I really mean it. You are just…too amazing"

"I thought I said that about you"

"Well, it's certainly true for you. Perhaps more so"

"Oh, I doubt that very much" he said as he took Misto's paw. It was then that he began to feel very exposed again as he geared himself up to say what he wanted to next and after a few moments managed to find the courage to open his mouth once more. "You are very special Misto, I'm really glad I've been able to spend some time with you"

"I feel the same way," the black and white tom said with his heart in his throat.

"Yes, well, I just want to thank you"

"For what?"

"For such a wonderful evening and…keeping me warm"

Instantly Macavity felt like a huge moron for saying the final part of that sentence and cringed internally as he said it back to himself. The problem was he just couldn't think of how to say how much he liked Misto being so close without being creepy and even then he felt as if he'd done just that in those few words. Fortunately for him Misto seemed to be in too much of a dreamy state not to realise the silliness of his feelings.

"Thank you for the same. I never thought you could be so…nice…to be with"

That time it was Misto's turn to cringe and afterwards the pair were left where they were feeling unutterably stupid for not being able to sound like masters of flirtation and allure.

Soon enough though that feeling in Macavity was replaced by his massive desire to kiss Misto that had been lingering all evening and the red tom knew that it was going to have to be now or never – figuratively speaking of course. He didn't know how to do it though and as such was left standing looking like he'd been asked to give an answer for the meaning of life.

Deciding not to hesitate anymore he began to reach out to pull Misto close but no sooner had he laid his paws on the smaller tom's shoulders and felt a ripple of energy shoot through his fingers which surely rattled them both did a small rustling from behind Misto distract him and make him look up.

Misto spun quickly too and no sooner had he done so did he see the small, inquisitive face of Pouncival emerge from the junk looking sleepy and yawning widely. With a sudden charge of fear he spun his head back around thinking as hard as he could for where to stash his companion but to his amazement Macavity wasn't there. Misto was left dumbfounded at the sudden disappearance and couldn't believe Macavity really was that quick and after a few moments of stunned silence turned back to the just woken kitten with a look of amazement about him and with the ghost of Macavity's paws still on his shoulders.

"Did you just get up?" came the sleepy voice of Pouncival from his vantage point.

"No" said Misto breathily.

"Have you been up all night?"

"Yes"

"Doing what?"

Misto just smiled, shook his head dreamily and ducked down through his doorway to disappear into his den. Pouncival was left alone in the solitude of the early junkyard morning with his unanswered question hanging in the air. He didn't understand why he hadn't been answered and was left with the single thought,

'_Grownups are so rude!'_

**Sorry, sorry, sorry it took so long to get this one up. I've actually gone past two weeks on this update so therefore I think I need to pull a dobby and iron my hands as punishment.**

**Thanks so much for reading! Please review and I promise there'll be a new chapter sooner than the last (well, I will try to promise) x**


	8. Osculation

**SOORRRYYYYYY! ****Sorry, ****sorry, ****sorry ****this ****took ****so ****long! ****I****'****ve ****never ****gone ****over ****two ****weeks ****for ****an ****update ****before ****and ****I ****hate ****that ****life ****has ****gotten ****in ****the ****way. ****There ****are ****many ****good ****reasons ****for ****my ****delay ****with ****the ****worst ****of ****which ****being ****a ****cold ****and ****the ****best ****of ****which ****being ****me ****seeing ****Phantom****'****s ****25****th ****at ****the ****Albert ****Hall ****(the ****same ****one ****they ****filmed ****and ****broadcast ****live). ****I ****really ****hope ****this ****will ****make ****up ****for ****my ****tardiness!**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 8**

**Osculation**

Nestled away in the confines of his master's lair Gilbert quietly stood with a feather duster which was nearly the size of himself gently dusting a few of his master's finer possessions. As he concentrated on an ornate crystal vase he allowed his mind to wander and it was soon that he was lead to thoughts of his master's recent behaviour.

Macavity was not the cat he usually was but for some reason it wasn't a problem. He seemed brighter and generally more cheerful even from behind his usual mask of solidarity and coldness. It seemed the bigger tom couldn't keep from letting the new song in his heart from ringing out and it caused a notable difference in the way he was acting. No longer did he seem to sit on the roof for hours on end thinking and plotting silently nor did he vent any internal rage or strife upon the objects that surrounded him. Not because he was controlling it any better than usual but because there simply didn't seem to be any there to vent.

Ever since that morning he'd come in from his mysterious night away about one week beforehand he had been acting like somebody completely different and as Gilbert considered how much he liked seeing his master so much happier he thought back those few days to try and remember the events which had unfolded.

As usual he'd gotten up and gotten straight to work with organising the rest of the henchcats for their days' duties. Once breakfast had been ready he had instructed it up to his master's bedchamber but upon following it there he found the red tom fast asleep. At first he hadn't been that worried but contrary to popular myth Macavity really was fast asleep instead of being wide awake. The black cat hadn't known what to do in the slightest at that moment and had hung on there for a good few minutes as he tried to think of what he ought to try. Eventually he'd hurried the other couple of cats out along with his master's breakfast and then scarpered himself so as not to be suddenly caught gawking. He didn't want to offend his master and at the same time needed a moment to try and get his head around not finding him ready and waiting in his usual morning state. Macavity was a cat of routine and preciseness and finding him that way was almost shocking to Gilbert who always tried to match his master's manner of time keeping.

It wasn't until later that day that Macavity had emerged with an airy smile on his face that had given Gilbert a real scare and he had wondered if he was at all ill. He had looked so very odd – or at least odd for him – and the small black cat simply hadn't known what to do.

"Hello, Gilbert" Macavity had said before flopping down most ungracefully on a nearby cushion and gazing off into dreamland.

The short conversation that had followed left the smaller cat no less on edge but as he went to fetch Macavity some tea so too did he feel a ray of sunshine cut through his worry.

Over the next few days similar occurrences came about and as Gilbert watched his master disappear every now and then and stay out for long periods of time before coming back as happy as a clown so too did he feel his concern begin to strangely disappear to be replaced with an infectious kind of joy. Something had taken a hold of his master and whatever it was seemed to be exactly what he needed to break him out of his usual steely shell.

On the whole Gilbert liked it and as such that led to his current state that morning dusting quietly.

His reminiscence was interrupted when he heard a clattering near the entrance to the lair and he made his way through to where he found Macavity coming back in from another secret night with the same slightly goofy smile on his face as the many mornings before.

"Good morning, sir" said Gilbert respectfully and without even the slightest hint of nervousness.

"Good morning, Gilbert" Macavity said with a slight chuckle and stomped over to give him a huge bear hug. The black tom was of course surprised but not as much as he usually was. In a way he half expected it as it certainly was in line with his master's current strange euphoria. Upon release he steadied himself back on his paws and watched as the bigger tom wandered off in the direction of his bed. Gilbert was about to call out and ask if Macavity wanted breakfast but as he looked at him it almost seemed as if he were swaying slightly as he walked. Not in a way as if he were drunk but certainly in a way that looked like he had been dancing all night. Before he knew it Macavity was gone and he was once again left alone with his thoughts. It was probably a good thing he was since a sudden idea then popped into his head which tried to account for the red tom's new way of life. As he considered it Gilbert smiled awkwardly and then turned back to his dusting with a slight look of curiosity and disbelief on his face.

'_Surely __it __can__'__t __be __a __queen__' _he thought as he tried to picture his master falling for anyone.

* * *

In his den Misto lay on his bed staring up the ceiling not with the pining, melancholy look that seemed to be the theme of the last month or so but with a huge smile that every so often gave way to a short, ecstatic giggle. He'd had an amazing night that was just another in a string of amazing nights that had occurred every night since that one he'd spent on Primrose Hill with the cat who he by now fancied the pants off of – that is if cats did indeed wear pants.

Macavity was fantastically handsome and every night seemed to become more so. The time Misto had spent with him allowed the smaller black and white tom the time to really take a good look at the larger's physique and night after night as he roamed his eyes over Macavity he could have sworn the resulting feeling was as if he were melting. Macavity's very being stirred him deeply and Misto couldn't believe how incredibly attracted to him he was.

At the same time he wondered if Macavity saw anything in him that might stir up a similar feeling but, alas, it seemed as if he were far more concentrated on telling Misto how beautiful he was. Misto was no expert but he knew beautiful didn't mean sexy. Then again, did he really feel comfortable applying the word sexy to himself? In the end he found he didn't care since it didn't matter if he wanted to call himself sexy just so as long as Macavity did. That was all that counted and as such he felt rather annoyed that he couldn't bring across that kind of appeal. He wanted Macavity to desire him and it seemed he did but Misto did sort of wish it could be in the same way as he felt towards Macavity.

This was a minor worry though as above all Misto couldn't believe what a thrilling new turn his life had taken. Macavity was altogether amazing. He was handsome, charming, surprisingly kind but with an air of craftiness that was not at all repulsive and yet above all of this there was the icing on the cake that Misto found the most gratifying of all. Macavity was fantastically clever and as Misto discovered more and more about the way the bigger tom's mind worked and managed to have conversations with him on a level he found incredibly engaging he began to feel he had finally found someone he could truly be himself with. It wasn't so much that he couldn't be himself with anybody else, it was just that with Macavity he didn't have to change the way he spoke so he could be understood or change the way he was acting so the red tom didn't see him as strange. It seemed he found his manner engaging and essentially perfect and made him feel brilliant for just being himself. That feeling of normality was oddly special to Misto.

Now as he lay and stared up dreamily he let his mind wander back over the night's events and smiled even wider as he remembered all of the things they'd done. He had no idea how Macavity had done it but somehow he'd broken them both into the Natural History Museum and given Misto the opportunity to marvel like a human child in a sweetshop. The black and white tom had gaped from the moment he'd stepped inside and couldn't believe a building filled with so many amazing things existed. What's more, being with Macavity was like having his own private, very well versed tour guide and as such Misto's thirst for knowledge was very well met. It was true that he didn't understand some of the more human of the museum's attributes but Macavity certainly seemed to and Misto was simply happy to listen to him speak so expertly about everything and anything whilst melting in that sexy, suave, loin-stirring voice.

Their night hadn't ended there though and once outside again and through a couple of dark, quiet albeit well-kept streets of Kensington Misto found himself led into a large open area which he quickly learned to be Hyde Park. Just as on the other nights he let himself be led freely by Macavity and as always found he wasn't disappointed for barely a few minutes went by before Macavity brought him to a very secluded spot between some bushes and released his paw for a moment in order to present to Misto what he'd set up sometime before coming to him that evening. There had been a quick flash and then as a faint glow began to bathe the area Misto saw Macavity had lit a candle to reveal a small blanket with a large human's hamper on it. As Macavity set about opening it up and disappearing inside to reveal its contents Misto simply smiled and shook his head as he again found himself amazed at the magnitude of one of the bigger tom's surprises.

Macavity had then shortly revealed to Misto a perfectly prepared picnic which they ate together under the stars by the candle's gentle light and as they did they spoke quietly with Macavity's words as usual making Misto's heart thump and mind swim.

Through all of this though Misto was quite pleased to be so clear on one thing: Macavity wasn't just being a gentletom, he was being very romantic and the clarity of his attempts at wooing Misto were enough to let him know he was interested in him. Very interested it seemed and as such Misto simply couldn't be happier and kept basking in delight until where he was now on his bed.

He really had been shown a wonderful, romantic night and it made him feel so warm but also kittenish inside. All there was to do now was to make it official.

That thought made Misto pause for a moment in his gentle jubilance and then after a few seconds more it suddenly hit him that they hadn't actually made it clear with one another that they wanted something with a label – or at least Misto hadn't. That released a sudden flurry of questions in the small tom and quite frankly he didn't know where to begin.

How were they meant to talk about it? Did they really need to since they'd already shown how into each other they were? Did Macavity even feel the same way or had he just allowed his mind to run away with him and assume the bigger tom was in exactly the same place as he? Misto didn't know and straight away his happiness was replaced with a strange uneasiness. He wanted Macavity as something, that much was clear, but as what and in what capacity was unknown.

Was even that going too far? To be completely honest they'd only been flirting and hadn't even done so much as kiss yet. True, their flirting had been outrageous and very exciting but as for anything more than that there was nothing really Misto could tell of. He wanted it though; Everlasting Cat, did he want it! He wanted to kiss and hug and touch Macavity and maybe even do those things Tugger bragged about endlessly. Getting over that threshold and actually doing them though just seemed impossible. How was he meant to tell Macavity he wanted more and after such a short time of getting to know one another? Truly it wasn't doable and as such Misto was left without a clue for a long while before sleep eventually took him and the day outside his den begun once more.

* * *

Across the clearing there was another cat just going to bed as the rest of the tribe awoke and as he lay on his bed so too did he find he couldn't quite go to sleep. There was certainly cause though and as he let his thoughts churn over and over in his mind he centred on a few clear things that had been beginning to concern him.

It seemed lately that Misto had been spending a lot of his waking hours during the night and while that usually wouldn't bother him he'd begun to notice a pattern during his nights on duty of the small, black and white tom disappearing in the evening and then reappearing in the morning. At times he'd gone to look for where he might have been but try as he might Munk simply couldn't find him anywhere in the junkyard. This was his first problem.

Munk's second problem was that of a distinct scent that he kept picking up here and there and it was a scent that always filled him with rage and loathsomeness. It was the scent of his evil brother and while there was no trace of him whenever he'd gone to search he couldn't shake the realisation that he'd been picking it up every night for a while now. If Macavity was coming into the junkyard and duping him at every turn so he didn't realise then that was simply sick and he had to find out if it was true.

His third problem only served to strengthen that concern and it was one that only made him angrier and gave him more strife since it was so much more personal. Demeter, his wonderful, beautiful mate that he loved so dearly was still picking up the feeling of the very same cat and to see her do her best to handle what she assumed was just her imagination and then being pushed too far and breaking down was heartbreaking. He hated seeing her so frightened and it stoked his hatred for that evil, bastard brother of his. He wanted to help her so very much but he just didn't know what to do and that made him feel all the lower.

These problems could certainly be picked apart at first glance and the first of which could be discounted altogether to make way for the other two but it was certain tiny factors that somehow made them all link in and leave Munk thinking deeply and wondering if they were all somehow in cahoots. On the one paw picking up Macavity's scent may have been due to his worry over Demeter and he might have believed that if the occasions of which hadn't been so constant and distinct. Sensing Macavity in that way was very clear and he knew he couldn't really deny its existence if it were there. Then again what if it was just his imagination?

These two left him in limbo on their own but then as he began to think about the other strange things he'd picked up upon recently he started to wonder if maybe there was just a tiny chance Misto was linked in somehow. Of course the idea was ludicrous but he'd found in the past that thinking ludicrously often unearthed playing factors that might have otherwise been left to lie. So, the silver tabby allowed himself to wonder and started to realise he'd picked up on more than he knew. It was maybe only a scent here or a word there but for some reason it seemed plausible that if Macavity was coming at night and Misto was disappearing during that timeframe then this might have been a new way in which his brother was trying to cause mayhem amongst them and pick them off one by one.

Was that really true though? After all Misto was the cleverest cat he'd ever known and it didn't seem likely he could be fooled by Macavity – especially after having been brought up to know he was no good. Then again Macavity was a master of trickery and despite how much he hated him Munk couldn't deny even the most wary of cats could be deceived by him. Did that mean even Misto might be falling prey to his brother's traps if indeed that was the thing which was happening? Misto was young and still showed a little bit of kittenish naivety from time to time and Munk knew he certainly wouldn't put it past his brother to commit his evil deeds through even someone like Misto. There was no low his brother would stoop to and to think he would do something as appalling as ensnaring Misto was not out of the question.

Munk then put his paw to his face and grimaced silently into it as he felt a new wave of sleepiness wash over him and as he looked across to his snoozing mate next to him he knew he had to try and sleep so he could be the best protector for her that he could be. Above it all she was the most important thing to him in the world at that time and her safety and happiness were his main priority. Somehow he'd get to the bottom of what was causing her so much grief as well as all of the other things that were out of order in the junkyard he was charged to protect from all dangers at all costs.

* * *

Later that day across the city back in Kensington on a little street known as Victoria Grove a pair of orange calicos lazed in their beds in the cupboard under the stairs of their humans' house. The two had been there all day and had at times debated whether or not to rise and go to the junkyard before always coming to the decision to remain where they were. Sooner or later though their laziness gave way to other urges and as such the male of the pair turned to his side and spoke.

"Getting peckish?" Mungojerrie asked his sister without propping up his body.

"S'pose so" Rumpleteazer replied, "Whatcha want?"

"Dunno. You?"

"Dunno. What they cookin' today?"

The orange tom took a moment to sniff the air to try and pick up on whatever it was the family was preparing for lunch but unfortunately for him no scent filled the air.

"Dunno. Can you go and look?"

"Why don't you?"

"'Cos you're closer to the door"

"What's that got to do with it?"

"You know what"

"Well, I ain't gettin' up"

"You're so lazy"

"You're so lazy"

"You're both lazy" came a deeper voice with an air of disapproval making them both startle briefly before they realised whom it was.

"Didn't your mum ever tell you it was rude not to knock?" Mungo asked their guest as he flopped back down and rolled away.

"She did but I don't always do what mother says," said Macavity as he stepped further into the cupboard his agents were lazing in. "May I sit down?"

"If you want" Rumple said with very little interest, "Why you here?"

"Oh, come now Rumpleteazer. Is that any way to speak to your master?"

"I ain't got a master. You, Jezza?"

"Nope" said the calico tom.

"I know," sighed Macavity, "I was just hoping you might have come around to the idea"

"Well, keep on hoping, Mac" said the young queen before turning away like her brother.

"Yes. Well, anyway you two I've not come just for a visit. There is something I need you to do"

"And what's that?"

"Well, I need you to acquire something rather special for me. Something rather different to what I usually tell you to look for"

"And why should we do that?"

"Because I'm telling you"

"And who says we'll listen?"

"I think you know I make your service to me more than worthwhile"

"Yeah, well, maybe we need a little extra encouragement"

"Is that so?" said Macavity with a raised eyebrow.

"We think so"

"Well, I think otherwise and I trust you won't dispute that"

Rumpleteazer raised herself slightly and opened her mouth to speak but before she could do so she caught Macavity's eye and saw in him a look that in any other cat wouldn't seem at all threatening but coming from him was enough to say 'Don't push your luck, Rumpleteazer'.

Deciding not to do just that the orange queen flopped back down and mumbled,

"What is it then?"

Straight away Macavity went back to how he was feeling before the pair's prolonging jabber and spoke as uncertainly as he felt.

"Well…you see, I was rather hoping I ask you what it might be"

"You what?" asked Mungo finally lifting his head to look at Macavity who now looked slightly embarrassed over what he'd said. Even he knew it sounded ridiculous and he hated appearing that way.

"I…well, there's…this…cat…"

In an instant the calico twins jumped up and focused hard on Macavity with crazed looks of delight about them which left the red tom not altogether comfortable. Needless to say he almost regretted what he'd said as soon as having said it but he was quickly reminded of his motives in coming to the twins in the first place when he remembered he quite literally didn't have anyone else to give him a free and unhindered opinion on what kind of gift he ought to give to his Mistoffelees – a thought he had found rather depressing as soon as he'd thought of it. Still, the pair were oddly friendly to him despite how much disdain he usually treated them with and didn't seem to see him as their superior somewhat to his own displeasure. As such he considered them the least objectionable cats with whom to speak on this matter and was trying his best not to muddy his words or look ridiculous whilst he tried to get through this awkward moment. At least they seemed to be enjoying themselves in their sudden new titbit of knowledge.

"There is, is there?" asked Mungo with a crazed smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes," said Macavity making sure not to catch their eyes.

"Do we know her?"

"That's neither here nor there"

"So we do," said Rumpleteazer menacingly, "Who is she then?"

Macavity closed his eyes briefly so as not to let his worry that they were going to find out it was Misto he was seeing show through. He didn't know how they were going to react but he knew that no way was going to be ideal. First things first though, was it really going to be a big deal to tell them it wasn't a queen he was courting? It wasn't that they would mind but it seemed they assumed him to be selective of gender when it came to his numerous romantic endeavours and to be honest why on earth shouldn't they be? They had long known of his reputation as a fantastic lover with a trail of broken hearts strung behind him consisting of both toms and queens but as for further details of those he had encountered they were left completely in the dark. It seemed they had never supposed he might not be choosy when it came to the sex of someone that meant more to him and now that he'd found that very someone it appeared telling the pair his beau was not female was going to be more difficult than he imagined. Perhaps it was something to do with producing kittens in the long run since he'd never given them any hint that might suggest producing heirs wasn't so important to him.

Taking a deep breath he decided to bypass the question and try to get through the painful moment with as little mortification as possible.

"Never you mind" he said, "All I want to know is what you think I should get…them"

"We can't tell you that without knowing more about her!" cried Rumple, "Aww, Mac! You've gone and got yourself a little girlfriend"

"Aww, well done McVities! She must be quite a queen to take on your sorry arse" chimed Mungo.

"Thank you, Mungojerrie, but I think the less you know about…all of this…the better," Macavity said once again dodging the point when he would have to say 'him'.

"Oh, come on! Tell us a little bit!"

"No. Please just tell me what you think I ought to get"

"Well, what's she like?"

Macavity thought for a moment making sure not to look at the twins and then began to try and relate how he felt about Misto.

"Absolutely beautiful like no one I've ever seen before or like I ever expect to see again"

"Awwww" the twins jeered together, "What else?"

"Well, black and white, rather small, very neat and tidy and incredibly clever"

"She sounds proper boring to me," said Mungojerrie without even trying to be nice about it, "but I s'pose that's what you like, ain't it?"

"I think this cat is intellectually on a slightly higher level than you," said Macavity snidely.

"Must be a bloody genius then" he shot back as Rumpleteazer sat quietly staring at Macavity clearly showing she was thinking and was beginning to work out he was hiding something very juicy.

"I'd say so," carried on Macavity, "so, do you think I ought to…or rather you ought to find something that might appeal on that level?"

"What level?"

"An intellectual level"

"Might be an idea or else you can always go with expensive stuff. Queens love expensive stuff, or at least she does" he said gesturing to his sister who still sat quietly and looking rather wry.

"Is that so, Rumpleteazer?" Macavity asked brightly before cutting in before she could answer, "Well, of course it is. I don't know why I asked. Anyway, I'm not sure I just want to go for something that's worth a lot. I'm not sure that's important to…this cat. What else have you in mind?"

"Well, tell us more about her"

"Well, I'm not sure what else I should say. Very nimble, talented, sees a lot that other cats miss"

"Like what?"

"Deeper detail in things that might otherwise seem mundane"

"Mun-what?"

"Mundane. It means something is extremely normal or not very interesting. Dull in other words"

"Like you?"

"No, not like me"

"Matter of opinion"

"I'm sure it is"

"So, what? Like, if you gave her a rock she might find it interesting?"

"No. Come now, Mungojerrie. Just the way of thinking is different to most cats. It's not weird, it's fascinating"

"And boring it sounds. Get her a book, I say"

"Already got lots"

"Get her a…I dunno…a globe?"

"I don't think there would be a use for it" Macavity said almost mockingly.

"Well, I dunno then! You got any ideas, Teaze?" the orange tom asked looking at his sister. The queen remained staring for a moment before finally opening her mouth and asking,

"Black and white, clever and has lots of books you say?"

"Yes," said Macavity with the same reservation and cynicism as she.

"And we know…her?"

"I never said that"

"But it's true, ain't it?"

"Not necessarily"

"Dunno why I ask 'cos we know it is"

"Well, that's for you to assume"

"Right…" she said trailing off and then simply resuming her staring with a look as if to suggest she knew exactly whom Macavity's affection was for. It made the big tom feel uneasy and wonder why he ever thought it would be a good idea to let them in on his secret – even if only a little bit. No going back now though and so with a sigh he did his best to steer the conversation back in the right direction.

"So, anyway, any further thoughts?"

"No" said Mungo matter-of-factly before falling down on his bed and turning away. "I s'pose you could make her something"

Macavity perked up and looked over quickly,

"I'm sorry"

"Make her something. Queens seem to like it when you put the effort in"

"And you'd know that how?" asked Rumpleteazer breaking her intense gaze and gawking at her brother.

"I've had some experience"

"With who?"

"You don't know them"

"Try me"

"Shut up, you two!" cut in Macavity trying to keep them from losing focus, "Make something you say?"

"Yeah. Doesn't matter what as long as it's from you"

Macavity sat there for a moment as the pair continued their bickering and it wasn't long before a smile had crept onto his face. In an instant he jumped up and began to make for the door.

"Where you going?" called out Rumpleteazer before he could leave.

"Home. You've given me quite an idea"

"You're welcome" called Mungo, "Pay the receptionist on your way out"

"You don't have one"

"By receptionist I mean 'Teazer"

"I ain't your receptionist!" the calico queen retorted.

"Well, who else I got?"

"Dunno. It ain't me though"

"Fine. Oi, where's he gone?" Mungo asked looking back to the door.

"And he didn't even say thank you" 'Teazer said crossing her arms.

"That's some cats for you. Nowhere near enough sophistication" he said as he scratched roughly behind his ear.

"Too true. Sometimes I think we're the only ones about with class"

"You are quite right, sis. So, who d'you think he's going out with then?"

"Not sure but I have my ideas"

"Well, who?"

"Let's just say I don't think it'll be long before we find out who this mystery queen is. Might very well not even be a she"

"How d'you figure?"

"Well, who do we know who's black and white, clever, tidy and has lots of books?"

Mungo thought for a moment and then perked up with a slight look of disbelief. With an unsure smile he turned to Rumpleteazer and said,

"You don't think…?"

"Who can say?" she said with an even bigger smile, "But yes, I do think"

It wasn't long before the twins were suddenly filled with mischief and were tearing through the streets of London towards the junkyard where the rest of the Jellicles lived.

* * *

Once again that night long after the sun had gone down Macavity found himself making his way to the place that in the past represented only rejection and pain but now had miraculously turned into a beacon of hope and delight. As he sauntered along he wondered how there could have been such a huge shift in the way he saw the junkyard that had once been his home a long time ago and while the past still hurt and angered him it seemed the future wasn't going to be anywhere nearly as bad. It was where Misto lived and while there were still so many unknowns such as where they were going to end up Macavity wasn't worried. It seemed he'd found something wonderful in Misto and while they'd only been secretly seeing each other in a reciprocal capacity for a week he had a wonderful feeling things were simply good and were only going to get better. Misto excited him and gave him a surprising amount of hope that he had never expected any cat might fill him with. Maybe it was his magic or maybe it was just because he was innately amazing but whatever it was Misto made him so very, very happy and he couldn't wait to get to him that evening and spend more time with him. Just the thought of being with the little tom put a spring in his step and he couldn't help but beam as he made his way through the streets on the way to the Jellicle junkyard.

At the same time Misto waited eagerly in his den and wondered what special plans Macavity had for this night. Everything he'd done during the week's previous nights had been incredibly romantic and Misto couldn't believe how charming everything Macavity did was. He radiated suavity and everything about him drew Misto in. It was like having been treated to a new toy that he was constantly finding new ways to play with each more amazing than the last and as he thought about how great the times he'd spent with Macavity so far had been he wondered if it was going to be like that forever. Any normal cat he'd expect might run out of tricks but not Macavity. Macavity was different and it seemed the same energy which fed his sneakiness and deception Misto had heard so much about must also feed his knack for thinking of new ways to entertain and all logic seemed to point to the suggestion that Misto wasn't going to see the end of Macavity's creativity any time soon.

His thoughts were cut short when he heard a scuffling at the entrance to his den and instantly spun around with a huge smile to greet the red tom as soon as he stepped inside.

"Macavity!" he almost squeaked in delight as he turned but no sooner did he lay eyes on who was there waiting for him did he suddenly feel shocked, disappointed and very confused.

"I s'pose that proves it then" came a thick cockney drawl before Misto was suddenly pounced on and blindfolded. Before he had time to resist something was stuffed into his mouth to keep him quiet whilst what he could only assume was a rope was wrapped around him tightly. In a moment he was completely immobile and was then hurriedly carried over to the corner of his den where he was stashed out of sight in the shadows. As he slumped helplessly he struggled and fought for his freedom but quickly gave up so he could hear what was going on around him. Strangely enough everything went quiet and he was then left waiting for something to happen.

* * *

A little while later Macavity found himself on the precipice of the junkyard's central clearing and ready as always to dupe whoever was on guard that night. Fortunately no one was there to see him and so he effortlessly hopped down to the junkyard's floor and padded over to Misto's den with, as always, a single white rose in his paw. He'd made sure to remember to bring one with him every night to show Misto how much he cared and by now he'd noticed quite a collection of them filling Misto's home. Without a hint of hesitation he ducked down into the pipe and moved through into the den before standing up and looking around in search for his date – a word he hated applying to Misto but couldn't think of anything more appropriate.

Straight away he was puzzled to find the black and white tom's den was completely dark whereas usually he kept it well lit. It led his eyes over to the bed where he noticed a distinctive dark lump resting upon it and straight away he wondered why on earth Misto would be sleeping if he were expecting company. It wasn't like him to do anything out of the ordinary – or rather nothing out of the ordinary of this type – and it confused Macavity as to why he might have actually made a point of going to sleep considering the light was out and the den was quiet.

Deciding not to make too much of a fuss about it he delicately made his way over to the bed and sat down softly on its edge. Ever so quietly he began to whisper,

"Misto? Are you awake?"

No response came from the sleeping form next to him so he decided to try again. Just as he was about to do so though he suddenly caught a familiar scent – or rather pair of scents - that did not belong to his black and white tom and straight away he was filled with both a strange nervousness and annoyance. Questions and realisations instantly began to flood into his mind and before he could become angry he put his paw onto the blanket which covered the form he now noticed was far too big to be Misto and pulled it back.

"Give us a kiss, Mac!" came an east-end twang which was shortly followed by two explosions of laughter; one from Mungojerrie who stared back at Macavity from the bed and another from Rumpleteazer who jumped out from hiding at the other end of the den.

Macavity jumped up and looked back and forth between the two as he was caught halfway between anger and embarrassment and as he endured their hoots of laughter so too did he find he was utterly lost for words at what all of this meant. Not only had they figured him out but also they'd managed to pull a prank of this magnitude on him without being caught before managing to pull it off. On the one paw it seemed he really wasn't giving them enough credit and was reminded of why they really were a couple of the best in the biz but on the other he was infuriated by what they assumed they could get away with. Try as he might though he just couldn't become angry with them since his embarrassment had put up a huge wall to him feeling any other way and as such he simply stood there silently looking like a fool as they laughed at him uncontrollably.

Soon though they did temper down and managed to get a few words out between their cries of laughter.

"You should have seen your face!" shouted Rumpleteazer as she fell onto the bed with her brother and rolled around with glee, "I'd give my tail to see that again!"

"We didn't half get you!" continued Mungojerrie as he clamped onto his sister for support. "Oh, Everlasting Cat! I'm gonna-! I'm gonna wet myself!"

"When you're quite finished," said Macavity stiffly as he looked with a steely stare just above their heads so as not to convey his embarrassment. The words only seemed to set them off again and so with a sigh he waited patiently for the pair of burglars to stop celebrating their victory so he could try and regain some dignity.

"Where is Misto?" he asked when they finally quieted down enough for him to get a word in.

"He's over there" chuckled the calico queen before him as she waved a paw in the direction from which she'd come and then continued to giggle with her brother.

Macavity followed the direction of her unladylike pawing and was met with a confusing sight of a quivering shopping bag stuffed into the corner of the den. After a moment of hesitation he delicately stepped over and gently grasped the thin plastic to pull it off. Slowly a few patches of black and white fur between rope were revealed and Macavity gasped as he looked down at the bound form of Misto below him who he could obviously see was not enjoying himself to say the least.

Immediately he bent down and pulled off the blindfold wrapped around Misto's head and watched as he was blinked up at and mumbled to through the cloth stuffed into his mouth. Macavity pulled it out and supported him as he coughed a few times and then stared back up.

"What on earth is going on?" the red tom asked as he looked back to the partners in crime on Misto's bed who grinned menacingly back at him.

"They're what's going on," said Misto with a rasp before clearing his throat and shaking his head. "Can you untie me, please?"

Macavity wasted no time in tearing through the rope looped around Misto's body and as the remains of it fell to the floor around him he looked up in amazement at Macavity who only seemed to be concerned with his welfare.

"That was impressive," he said with a small smile.

"Are you alright?" Macavity asked taking Misto's paws in his and helping him up.

"Yes, fine. Just a little confused"

"I know exactly how you feel" Macavity said more firmly and turned back to his pair of agents behind him. "What on earth do you two think you were-"

"Wait!" whispered Misto fiercely before pulling on his arm and turning him back around, "What's going on? Why aren't they freaking out?"

"They work for me," said Macavity trying to calm him.

"They what?"

"I'll explain later. Even so, I didn't mean to let them find out"

"What? They know about us?"

"It seems that way. They're very crafty. They must have figured it out"

"Well, what exactly is it they know?"

"I don't know. I had no idea they knew until now"

"Well, what are we supposed to do?"

"Just try and act calmly. I'll handle this" Macavity whispered before turning himself around again and fixing on the cats who sat in identical positions with identical looks of smugness about them. With a silent sigh Macavity tried to look as firm as he could and began to speak. "Why is it you two always seem to cause me more inconvenience than what's good for you?"

"Aw, come on, Mac! What's life without a little fun?" said Mungo.

"How did you figure out I…well, this was happening?"

"You wanted advice about a black and white cat we knew that's clever, tidy and has a lot of books. Who else is there?"

"It could very well not have been Misto"

"Yeah, but let's not play games"

"Well, I suppose I should congratulate you both on having enough mental capacity to come to such a conclusion. That being said, now that you both know I must decide what the best course of action is to take"

"Meh. We ain't gonna tell anyone. That is if you make it worth our while" cut in Rumpleteazer slyly.

"What did I tell you about not pushing me?"

"Oh, how the balance of power has shifted"

"Would you care to put that theory to the test?" said Macavity giving her eyes which really seemed to drive home his message.

"Maybe we could work out a deal," she said with a new air of cunning about her.

"I don't make deals. You know that very well"

"Perhaps it's time to make an exception"

"I don't think so, my dear. I consider myself to be more than gracious to you and your brother and in return I expect the same grace."

"What's that mean?" cut in Mungo.

"It means you two will keep your mouths shut and everything will carry on as if you didn't know"

"Aww, that don't sound much fun!"

"Precisely"

"Hang on!" piped up Misto, "Seriously! What's going on? How are you all so…like this? It makes no sense!"

"Ain't he told you?" Mungo asked feigning surprise.

"Told me what?"

"Oh, we've been working for him for years! We do some of his dealing and he keeps us in good…uh…"

"Favour?" asked Rumpleteazer

"Does that make sense?"

"Yes"

"Then yeah: good favour"

"Really?" asked Misto not really believing a word of what was being said.

"Yes, really" said Macavity turning back to him.

"Does anybody know?"

"Nope" said Mungo, "We keep it nice and quiet or else Munk'd have a fit"

"Oh, right," said Misto quietly.

"I hope that's all okay" said Macavity hopefully.

"Oh, yes, of course. It's just a surprise"

"Yes, well, I was going to tell you at some point but…you know…we haven't been seeing each other very long yet"

"No, of course not. I understand"

"Not long? Just how long are we talkin' about?" butt in Rumpleteazer.

"Yeah, come on, Mac! How long you been bonking him?"

Macavity's head flew around to glare at Mungo who only smiled cheekily back and after a moment had gone by Macavity spoke up,

"For your information it's only been a week and I'm not…I mean, we haven't yet…what you said"

"Really?" the pair asked in sync.

"Yes, really. And besides it's not of your business"

"Oh, why not?"

"Because as I said earlier, the less you know the better"

"Doesn't seem fair"

"Those are the breaks"

"So what actually is going on then?" asked Rumpleteazer with an odd look on her face.

"Well, I…um…" began Macavity forgetting his words for a moment giving Misto enough time to jump in.

"We're just getting to know each other and…well, seeing where it goes"

"That's it?" the calico queen asked.

"Well, it's more than just that I'd say"

"So you have been getting busy then?"

"No! It's just…it feels really good"

"What does? The shagging?"

"No! Just…spending time together and talking"

"And that's it? Nothing else at all?"

"Not yet" said Macavity finding the awkwardness of the situation starting to slip away.

"You two are proper boring!"

"Well, call us what you want but…something's certainly right," said Misto looking back up at Macavity and smiling and in turn receiving the same look back.

"Aww! Look at that, Jezza! They're all lovey-dovey!" teased Rumpleteazer.

"It's right sweet, it is!" the orange tom said and together with his sister began to chuckle and taunt the pair of toms across from them.

"Yes, well, whatever it is we'd really appreciate if you wouldn't tell anyone. Myself especially" said Misto stepping towards them and smiling with a pleading look in his eyes.

"Ah, don't worry, sparkle bum! We won't tell"

"You promise?" asked Misto excitedly.

"Yeah, sure. That is as long as Old MacDonald over there keeps us happy"

Macavity stared at the pair with annoyance for a moment but then sighed and shook his head as he conceded to whatever it was that was going to transpire.

"Fine" he said eventually, "but remember what I said: Don't push your luck"

"Alright, Maccypants!" Rumpleteazer said jumping up and pulling her brother along with her. "Anyone hungry then?"

"Actually yes, I am" said Misto turning back to Macavity and smiling in expectation of their date that was still to come.

"Well, that's good. I've had my henchcats prepare a lovely dinner for us back at my lair"

"That sounds lovely! Come on, Jezza!" chirped Rumpleteazer as she made her way towards the doorway.

"You two aren't invited," said Macavity knowing very well that whatever he said was useless. Before he knew it they were gone and he was left alone with Misto in his den. Feeling like a moron for having let them find out he turned back to Misto and took his paws solemnly before gently saying, "I'm sorry, Misto. I never meant to let anyone know"

Misto smiled gently and reached up to rub his arm lightly,

"It's alright. At least it's those two who apparently know you very well"

"More than I'd like, I can tell you"

"They really do work for you?"

"Yes, both fortunately and unfortunately"

"Well, it's certainly fortunate they're not telling"

"True although I don't relish their taunting now that they know"

Misto chuckled, "Let them taunt. As long as it helps us to keep seeing each other I won't care"

"In that case neither will I. Now, come on, we best get going or else they won't leave any for us"

"They know where your lair is?"

"Yes, again: unfortunately"

"I've been wondering what it's like. I hope I haven't gotten carried away with my expectations."

Macavity smiled, "I think you'll like it. I'd say it's right up your street"

"Then I'd better not be disappointed"

"Well, let's get going and I'll show you everything you want. By the way I'm sorry those two have decided to invade our evening"

"Well, what could you do?"

"Yes, what indeed?" said Macavity exasperatedly and rolling his eyes before taking Misto's paw again and leading him away.

* * *

Munk sat with his head in his paws in the darkness of his den whilst his mate slept nearby after finally calming down from what seemed like a panic attack. These episodes when she felt she was feeling Macavity nearby were becoming no less frequent and Munk was beginning to wonder if his dear Demeter had a problem. He had considered going to Jenny and seeing if she might have some advice from a medical point of view but he just couldn't bear to think his mate might be unwell.

That evening her distress had come on all of a sudden as it usually did and it left her in such a state. It seemed that it was more the distress of having no obvious cause for her fear was becoming the larger problem for her now and every night when she felt that cold, defiling feeling of Macavity being nearby she couldn't help but go to pieces. That night she had cried again and as Munk had held her and tried to console her he found there was no amount of comfort he could give to ease her fright and as such he felt helpless. That was the worst thing to him; to know there was nothing he could do to help his mate when she desperately needed something was soul-destroying and he hated not knowing what to do.

Finally Demeter had gotten to sleep and as soon as she'd done so Munk had moved himself away and sat down alone defeated and ashamed. For years there had been nothing stopping him from protecting the tribe from any woe whether it was an angry, feral stray causing trouble or a splinter in a kitten's paw. Now though there was a problem of which he could see no way of fixing and he hated himself for it. More than that he was disappointed and it crushed him to think the most important cat in his life was falling deeper into despair with no one – not even him- to help her.

All of this pain only fuelled his hatred for his brother and while he had no idea whether his mate's feelings were real or not he couldn't help but channel his frustration into his loathing. In some ways it didn't even matter if it were real; Macavity was the subject of his mate's unhappiness and just that was enough to fill him with rage and abhorrence.

Then and there in the darkness of his den he swore to himself that the next time he saw his brother with whose blood he was disgusted to share he would tear him limb from limb. He'd caused too much pain and suffering in their tribe for too many years and he couldn't get away with it anymore. The next time he saw him he would not let him get away easily.

* * *

"This is your lair?" asked Misto confusedly as he stared up at the quaint little old house before him.

"Yes. Why? What were you expecting?" replied Macavity with a smile.

"I suppose a dark, scary cave with fire and brimstone"

"Well, I used to have a lair like that but the smell of brimstone is so unpleasant"

Misto looked up at the red tom who looked back with clear sarcasm.

"Seriously, Mistoffelees, I'm not that villainous. I live comfortably like anybody else. Besides, who would expect I live here?"

"Alright, alright. It's lovely"

"Thank you. Come inside" he said before leading Misto around to the side of the house to the drainpipe he used to shimmy up to the attic window. "After you" he said politely leaving Misto staring confusedly. After a moment he chuckled and said, "Fine, I'll go first"

Misto quickly got the idea when he saw Macavity pulling himself up the drainpipe and followed closely so as not to appear too silly. When he neared the top Macavity reach back and pulled him up onto the ledge before quietly opening the window and stepping inside.

Straight away Misto was drawn in by the warmth of the roof space and even in his first few steps inside he could see many artworks and fanciful things which were surely the fruit of Macavity's plundering.

"First impressions?" came the bigger tom's silky, seductive voice from behind.

"Wow" was all Misto could say as he looked up into the void of the roof. It was nothing like he had expected at all. Instead of exposed wooden beams there was a finely decorated ceiling that might have been more akin to Buckingham Palace than the Napoleon of Crime's lair. The walls – or whatever had been constructed to form separate areas – were a wonderful shade of crimson that he found very suitable to his date's character and the way he had furnished it so expertly, tastefully and creatively was simply amazing.

"I'll take that as a good sign" Macavity said happily before stepping forward and leading Misto further in who followed silently and wide-eyed. "Gilbert!" the red tom called sharply as he walked making a smaller black tom soon appear before him.

"Good evening, Sir" he said respectfully before noticing Misto and correcting himself "Sirs".

"Gilbert, this is Mister Mistoffelees, the cat I told you about"

"It's a pleasure, Sir" said Gilbert politely before holding out his paw which Misto instinctively grazed with his own before quietly responding,

"Hello"

Misto found Gilbert's excited staring a little strange and had he known that it was due to his being male that was proving so intriguing to the servant cat he no doubt would have felt stranger.

"I trust dinner is almost ready" Macavity interjected.

"I'm afraid there will be a slight delay, Sir. Your agents Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer appeared all of a sudden a short while ago and have barged their way in as usual. I'm sorry to say they have stolen the dinner prepared for you and Mister Mistoffelees. I'm very sorry, Sir"

"Don't be, Gilbert. I suppose it's my fault; I should never have let them know of my plans for this evening. Would you tell them to hurry up and clear off only I'd rather like to be alone with Mistoffelees"

"Very good, Sir" said Gilbert before hurrying off back in the direction he'd come and a few moments later they could hear the clattering sounds of dinner being prepared with orders being barked back and forth to unseen henchcats.

"He's nice," said Misto slightly nervously.

"Yes, he's very good at his job. I don't know what I'd do without him sometimes. Then again I suppose that goes for all of my henchcats"

"Those other cats you brought with you to the ball when you kidnapped Old Deuteronomy?"

"Those are the ones"

"Do you have many?"

"Yes, quite a few and they are very helpful"

"I've never met a cat with a staff before"

"Well, I like to think I'm the only one – or at least the only one with a staff that aren't human"

"Ah, yes, I should have thought. My father has staff in his home and they're human"

"The staff of his humans I presume"

"Yes but very much his as well"

"Well, he seems the type from what I've heard"

"You've heard right"

"Would you say much of him has rubbed off onto you?"

"Certainly not. As much as he'd like that to be true it's not going to happen"

"Well, if it's any consolation I like you exactly as you are"

"Thanks" said Misto smiling and earning the same appreciative smile in return. They held their gaze for a few moments more before Macavity reached out, took Misto's paw and lead him onwards.

"Come on, let me show you around"

Macavity continued to show Misto around his lair and every new area proved to be fantastically interesting to his guest. It made a change from being taken to places he might find interesting for any other reason and to see the bigger tom's home felt much more personal and revealing to the black and white tom. The fact that Macavity was showing him where he lived he surely knew meant something special and to know that any other cat would surely be firmly silenced if they became aware of that information made him feel all the more privileged. In Misto's mind it meant Macavity was showing him a part of himself that he never showed to anyone else and as such it put a smile on his face that wouldn't go away.

Eventually Macavity made his way around almost all of the places that existed in his home save for his bedchamber and one other place and it was this other place that he had saved especially for last.

"I hope my lair has proved impressive enough for you, Misto. I was nervous you might not like it"

"Why on earth would I not like it?" said Misto amazedly, "It's so much greater than I ever expected"

"Thank you, I'm very glad. There is one more thing I'd like to show you though"

"Oh?" said Misto as he was freely led onwards.

"Yes. Now, I know you're quite an intellectual and are much cleverer than every other cat in this city"

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," said Misto bashfully.

"I would and I'd like to offer you something I hope you'll like"

"I'm sure I will whatever it is"

"Well, don't make up your mind until you see it"

"See what?"

"This" said Macavity hopping through another doorway and leading Misto into his library. He obtained the reaction he expected in an instant and as Misto looked around at the huge number of books, papers, maps, scrolls and countless other literary items Macavity could see the wonder in his eyes. Without letting on too much the bigger tom jumped for joy internally and stepped behind Misto to give a full view. After a moment or two he spoke and hoped Misto heard him through his amazement.

"As you can see my collection is quite…expansive to say the least. If you'd like to make use of it then you are more than welcome."

"Are you serious?" asked Misto breathily.

"Certainly. There's plenty here I know you'd like but I've had the henchcats organise it all properly so if there's anything in particular you'd like to indulge yourself in then it should be easy to find"

"I don't know what to say," said Misto as a stunned smile began to creep across his lips.

"You don't need to say anything"

"Thank you!" Misto suddenly blurted out as he spun himself around and buried his face in Macavity's fur as he hugged him. To the little tom it seemed to be the very least he could do and he knew now more than ever that he desperately wanted to kiss Macavity for giving him this gift. He never seemed to stop showing him things that amazed him and to allow him access to his vast collection of literature was quite simply one of the best gifts he'd ever been given.

The hug lingered on far longer than it should have done and it wasn't until Misto leant his head back and looked up into Macavity's eyes that he felt then was the perfect opportunity to reach up and press their lips together. It seemed to be the perfect moment and Misto knew there could be no other thing to do there and then as he hugged the bigger tom and shared a long, warming gaze with him.

Unfortunately for Misto his inexperience and nerves got the better of him and as such he let their stare last for just too long to allow them not to feel awkward. Inside Misto chastised himself for missing his opportunity and he couldn't help but think Macavity must have thought he was foolish.

"Come on. Let's go to dinner," said Macavity after a little while and pulling away from Misto who simply responded with a meek,

"Okay"

* * *

"Would you two please get out so we can serve the master now?"

"Ah, what's the rush?" asked Mungojerrie through a mouthful of roasted duck that had been carefully prepared for Macavity and Misto. "We ain't even had dessert yet"

"You were never meant to even have starters! Get out! Get out now!" commanded Gilbert as firmly as he could but it was, of course, to no avail.

"Oh, what's the rush, Gilbs? Old Pac-a-Mac won't mind if we hang around for a bit"

"He actually told me to get rid of you so he could have dinner with his guest in private"

"Oh, Misto's here, ain't he? Nearly forgot!"

"Precisely. The master will not be pleased if you disrupt his evening any further"

"Alright! Alright! Keep your fur on! Come on, sis, let's let them have their date"

"But I wanted to be here for their date" the orange calico queen protested.

"We'll catch up with them later"

"You'll do no such thing!" Gilbert nearly shouted, "Go home the pair of you!"

"What's he say, Jezza? Did he say go and crash in the guest room?"

"I believe he did, Teaze. Come on, let's go!"

"Absolutely not!" said Gilbert, "That room is made up for the master's guest!"

"It's what?" came a quieter voice making them all turn to the doorway to see Macavity entering with Misto in tow.

"Thank you, Gilbert" said Macavity with annoyance in his voice as his surprise for later was given away.

"Yeah. Thanks, Gilbert" the twins said cheekily.

"You two leave. You've caused enough trouble for today" Macavity told the twins and making sure to give them a stiff enough look before either one of them protested to let them know they best not contest what he'd said. Without a word they filed out glumly leaving Macavity, Misto and Gilbert alone.

"I apologize, Sir. I didn't mean to reveal-"

"It's alright, Gilbert, no harm done. Please just clear this up and bring dinner out."

"Of course, Sir" said Gilbert before frantically turning to pick up a small bell that sat behind and ringing it quickly. Straight away a hoard of henchcats zipped in and began to clear away the mess Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer had left and in what can only have been thirty seconds a new, fresh roasted duck was laid out along with many accompaniment dishes and bottle which Misto didn't need to be told contained wine.

"Will there be anything else, Sir?" asked Gilbert as the rest of the henchcats disappeared as quickly as they'd come.

"No, thank you Gilbert"

"Very good, Sir" he said before leaving them alone.

Already Misto could smell the amazing aroma of the duck and rather embarrassingly his stomach let out a huge groan that made Macavity turn his head quickly and smile as Misto blushed.

"Goodness. If I'd known I would have brought you to dinner sooner"

Misto simply smiled back and tried to control the redness of his cheeks as Macavity set about carving the bird cooked for them. Patiently he waited until he'd finished and then sat down as he was gestured by the bigger tom.

"Would you like some wine, Misto?"

"I've never had any"

"Well, there's a first time for everything" he said as he poured a little into a miniaturized version of a glass human's used for drinking the beverage.

"How did you get this?" asked Misto as he raised the tiny vessel with intrigue eliciting yet another smile from his host.

"Human children have things which a are called dollhouses. They're like smaller versions of real houses where everything is scaled down and with which they play. Fortunately for us the dining utensils are the perfect size for us and so I've helped myself to a few over the years"

"I see," said Misto as he sniffed at the liquid in his glass and wrinkled his nose slightly before placing it back down.

"It's an acquired taste and it'll grow on you"

"I'll take your word for it"

"So, let's not wait. Please…" the big tom said gesturing for Misto to eat and together they began their meal which proved over its course to be incredibly eye-opening and romantic for Misto. The way Macavity spoke to him was indescribable and the way in which they managed to converse with one another was like nothing Misto had ever experienced before. Macavity was so clever and engaging and Misto found it so very easy and fascinating to talk with him. It truly felt like he'd found someone on exactly the same level as himself and it only served to remind him that he no longer felt so alone or strange for being different. His difference was paying off because he'd found someone just as different and the way they simply clicked was more magical than he could have asked for.

Eventually Misto found the spread was too much for him and as he endeavoured to finish one more bite of dessert he almost felt as if he were going to explode from overeating. He didn't want to be rude though and as such he began to gear himself up to force it down.

Being in such a state he forgot to conceal his efforts at doing so and as he eyed up the mouthful he intended to be his last Macavity noticed him looking rather hot and bothered and as if he were about to try and lift some huge weight. With a knowing smile he chuckled to himself and spoke to his guest.

"You know, I won't be offended if you say you're full"

"Oh, Everlasting, thank you!" said Misto with huge relief and falling back to rest on whatever it was that sat behind him. Macavity watched as he panted slowly from being so full and he found the sight most entertaining.

"Did you enjoy the meal?"

"Y-…Yes" Misto eventually managed before creakily propping his head up. "Please give my regards to your staff"

"Would you like to give them yourself?"

"I don't think I could manage at the moment" the black and white tom said as he placed a paw on his stomach and scrunched his face slightly giving Macavity slight cause for concern.

"Are you alright, Misto?"

"Yes…fine" Misto said with a voice that strongly suggested the contrary.

"You don't look it"

"I think…maybe it's just…a little indigestion"

Macavity chuckled again and shook his head,

"Misto, you are adorable." The words made Misto blush and he remained quiet as Macavity got up and walked over to him. Delicately the bigger tom bent down to scoop his arms around the smaller and gently lifted him up to carry him away. "I was hoping we might be able to spend a little more time together this evening but I think maybe you might like to sleep"

"No, no…" said Misto pretending what Macavity had said wasn't what he wanted despite wanting nothing more. "I'll be fine, honestly"

"No arguments, Misto. I'd hate for you to be ill on account of trying to keep me company. Besides, knowing you're comfortable would be far more enjoyable for me"

"But I don't want to"

"You sound like a kitten"

"Well, let me be a kitten"

"Not even if you begged"

"Please?"

"What did I just say?"

Misto thought about protesting more but the combination of the gently squeezing pain in his stomach and the comfort and surrealism being in Macavity's arms provided him with told him otherwise. Sighing contentedly he decided to simply go with the flow and as such allowed himself to be carried to the bed Macavity had had prepared for him.

Once again he was very impressed with how ornate and splendid what he supposed was the guest bedroom was and he was even more amazed when Macavity carefully placed him down onto the bed. It seemed the assortment of cushions and sheets were all made of only the finest silk and the way it caressed and comforted his fur was absolutely heavenly.

Without making so much as a ripple Macavity sat down on the edge of the bed and turned himself to look at Misto lovingly as he lay there.

"I'm really not tired" Misto said before his body betrayed him and made him yawn widely eliciting another chuckle from the bigger tom.

"Misto, I don't think you will ever stop being so…"

"So what?"

"Delightful"

"Delightful?"

"I don't like to use the word cute"

"Just as well. I'd probably hang you if you did"

"I'd like to see you try"

"Well, I actually think I could get you to do almost anything I wanted if I asked nicely"

"What makes you so sure?"

"I have my reasons"

"Care to share?"

"Well, you seem to be very into me"

"That's a brave statement"

"I'd never say it if I weren't confident enough that it was true"

"Well, I'd say you were wrong but I'm afraid I'd be lying"

"Well, if it's any consolation it's 100% reciprocated"

"Oh? How can I be so sure?"

"How indeed?" said Misto trying to look as sensual as possible and lidding his eyes in what he supposed would count as flirtatiousness. Even if it wasn't they were once again back to their flirting and the desire to kiss grew thickly between them once more. They both felt it; it was just as strong as ever but just as unfortunately as always neither one knew whether the feeling was the same in the other. If only they could see into each other's hearts then they would lock lips in an instant but with just enough apprehension inside they both held back.

Still, Macavity couldn't believe how wonderful Misto looked as he lay there in the soft light and as he sat there in silence he simply watched as Misto blinked sleepily back at him and tried to stifle his yawns which were becoming all the more frequent.

"Are you going to stay until I fall asleep?" Misto asked quietly with a gentle smile.

"If you'll let me. I rather like watching you sleep; you look so beautiful"

"Opposed to when I'm awake?"

"Not in the least. If anything you look more beautiful then. It's just that you look so peaceful and contented when you're asleep and it's so very, very beautiful"

"Well, I'll try not to disappoint you"

"I have doubt you will"

The pair spent another long moment gazing at each other sweetly before Misto yawned again and batted his eyelids.

"Will you lay with me?" he suddenly asked making Macavity perk up a little.

"Sorry?"

"Just until I'm asleep"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

Macavity thought for a moment and wondered what he should do as he felt his heart begin to pound in his chest and adrenaline begin to shoot through his veins. It wasn't like Misto had asked him to ravish him or anything like that but for some reason it seemed like a huge deal. Still, how could he say no and so as he tried to control a shiver that threatened to start shaking his body he slowly pulled his legs onto the bed and pulled himself along side the cat that was the object of his heart's total secret desire.

Misto watched as he did so and then puzzled when the bigger tom stopped a few inches away from him. He had expected Macavity to curl up to him and hold him close and the absence of the warmth he had been expecting against his fur was quite disconcerting.

"No, like this" said Misto before shuffling over and snuggling into his fur. Straight away he felt a smile creep across his face and it wasn't long before he felt his whole self achieve what seemed to be total comfort.

Macavity's eyes were locked wide-open as he looked at the top of Misto's head and he had to use all of his strength not to let his entire body go rigid. What was happening? What was Misto doing? It was mad and wonderful and crazy and stupendous all at the same time and Macavity had no idea how to deal with it? He'd been this close to cats before, certainly, but it had never felt like this. This was new and almost frightening because it simply felt so amazing and as he felt Misto's paws against his chest so too did he loose his ability to control the shake which then began to take charge of his body. He was utterly frozen and didn't know what to do and he was about to pull away in terror when all of a sudden a beautiful sound greeted his ears and radiated through his body.

It was the sound of Misto purring and it caused a feeling to occur in Macavity that he'd felt before that moment when he'd first looked into the smaller tom's eyes. It was the most surreal and beautiful feeling he'd ever felt and it of course knocked him head over heels all over again. Suddenly his shaking stopped and the surge of adrenaline ceased and without realising he delicately placed his arms around Misto and pulled him gently closer eliciting a little chirp in his purring.

Pretty soon Misto was asleep but Macavity remained awake for what seemed like hours just holding Misto close and trying to come to terms with how wonderful the magician was making him feel. He simply couldn't fathom the amazing feeling he felt in his heart and as his heart still thumped so strongly so too did he feel as if it were thumping only for Misto. This small, monochrome cat could do something to him and even though he didn't know what it was he never wanted it to stop and eventually drifted off into the best sleep he'd ever had in his life.

* * *

The next morning Misto woke gently from a dream-filled night and lay there in the silence of the bedchamber as he was slowly reminded of how he came to wake in somewhere that wasn't his home. At first he felt a slight panic but a fraction of a second later he relaxed again and remembered the wonderful evening he'd had the night before.

There was one thing he did find confusing though and that was the distinct lack of anything in front of his face. He remembered Macavity having been there when he'd fallen asleep and how wonderful that had felt but now it seemed he was gone. Slowly the black and white tom reached a paw out in front of him to try and find where his handsome host had moved to but instead he found something quite different.

Opening his eyes he propped his head up and blinked before focusing on something strangely leafy and sharp and after a few seconds of wondering quickly saw that in Macavity's place lay a single white rose waiting to be found.

Misto smiled and flopped his head down again as he felt his heart sore through the heavens over how thoughtful Macavity was and knew then and there that whatever it was that was going on between them was better than anything he'd ever experienced before. Though they may not have yet gone past even the first few stages of what Misto assumed was a relationship he knew that whatever they had was strong and could only get better and as such he couldn't stop the gleeful feeling that rocketed around his body at the idea of having been thrown together with such a wonderful cat.

Without wasting time he jumped up from the bed, stretched out widely and then with rose in paw bounced from the den with sprightly morning energy. It wasn't long before he bumped into a henchcat waiting for him and was directed into what he was told was the drawing room. Misto – suffering from a rare moment of ignorance – found it rather strange that Macavity might set aside a whole room just for drawing but he simply shrugged it off and put it down to another one of Macavity's many mysterious facets. He'd later learn what a drawing room was actually used for but at that moment there was nothing else on his mind other than the warm, welcoming sight of Macavity sitting turned away from him with his nose buried in a newspaper as he entered. Misto knew there was no point in trying to sneak up on him and so brightly he announced himself.

"Good morning!" he said happily as he tottered over to where the bigger tom sat.

"Ah, Misto. I didn't hear you come in"

"You're a terrible liar" Misto said as he plonked himself down and rubbed affectionately up against Macavity who instead of freezing in shock as he did the night beforehand welcomed him in and rubbed back with even more fondness.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a long time"

"It must be those new cushions. I had them brought in especially for you"

"I think there may have been another reason," Misto said looking into the bigger tom's eyes sweetly. Macavity simply smiled back and hugged him closely again.

"Well, I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up"

"It's okay. I like my rose by the way"

"I thought it might be nice to wake up to some normality"

"Am I going to get one everyday?"

"Of course. Nothing but the best for you"

"You're too kind"

"I could never be too kind to you"

"Hmm" was all Misto came back with as he snuggled into the bigger tom's fur.

"Anyway, I'm glad you've woken up. It's long past sunrise and I wasn't sure whether-"

"Oh, Everlasting! Are you serious?" asked Misto jumping away all of a sudden.

"Yes" replied Macavity with surprise, "I didn't want to wake you because you looked so peaceful"

"Oh, no!" said Misto jumping up and taking a few steps towards the door before clasping his ears and thinking as quickly as he could.

"Is everything alright, Misto?"

"I have to get back before anyone sees me"

"I think it's a bit late for that. You'll just have to come up with a story"

"But what?"

"Just say you went out early"

"I don't know if they'll believe it"

"Why wouldn't they?"

"I don't know! They just might not!"

"Well, I'll keep out of sight as always so you won't have to worry"

"But I smell of you. Munk's sure to notice!"

"Ah, right. Well…just get in as fast as you can and give yourself a bath before anyone sees you"

"Yeah…maybe. I'm so sorry but can you please take me home? I didn't mean to ruin everything but I didn't see all this coming"

"Misto, you didn't ruin anything," Macavity said stepping over to him and taking his face in his paws, "I'm just glad to have you here"

"Really?" asked Misto with his voice dripping hope.

"Of course and I hope you'll let me see you again later"

"Oh, definitely! I hate that I have to go now"

"Well, do you?"

Misto paused for a moment and then nodded gently,

"Yes. They'll wonder where I am otherwise"

"Alright, come on then" said Macavity taking his paw and leading him out of his den and down to the ground below. As they started to run back to the junkyard Misto glanced up at the sky and saw a lot of dark, heavy clouds hanging overhead and he knew all to well what was going to happen very soon.

Macavity ran with determination but also a slight look of disappointment as he thought about the small, silver bracelet he'd made with his own paws waiting back in his lair that he'd intended to give to Misto after breakfast. He knew Misto would have loved it but it seemed, unfortunately, that it was going to have to wait for another time.

* * *

Back in the junkyard Tumblebrutus chased a mouse up and down the junk piles and it seemed to be just slightly too fast for him to catch. That wasn't going to stop him though and despite the elusiveness of the tiny creature he wasn't about to give up.

That was until he suddenly felt a big, fat raindrop suddenly land hard on his face and in an instant he skidded to a halt with his eyes fixed as best as he could on the end of his nose. Gently he began to rub it before feeling other drops just as big as the first beginning to land on him and as he looked up into the sky so too did he start to see great big drops of water begin to fall down from the heavens.

Suddenly a rather shrill but still warm voice came from across the junkyard,

"Kittens! Come inside now!"

Tumble didn't wait before taking off towards the voice's owner and it wasn't long before he barrelled past the mothering Jennyanydots and waited expectantly inside her den for his companions to file in beside him. Usually rainy weather meant as much warm milk as they could drink and he wasn't about to let the fussy orange queen forget as soon as she came inside too.

* * *

"Misto, are you okay?" said Macavity with great concern as he stopped dead and jumped back to pick Misto out of a huge puddle he'd slipped and fallen in. The rain had seemed to come out of nowhere and was hammering down on them now much to their feline discontent.

"Yeah, fine" the sopping wet tom said as he brushed the soaked fur out of his eyes which only returned to where it had been a few moments later. "Come on, let's keep going. At least no one will be out to see me come back"

"See? Everything's coming up roses" said Macavity surprisingly brightly despite his usually magnificent mane completely flat against his body as the rain ran through it.

"Oh no! I forgot my rose!"

"Don't worry, I'll get you another one"

"Thank you!" chirped Misto as he took Macavity's paw and again was pulled along.

Together they ran along the empty streets and had it not been for the loathsome feeling of being soaking wet Misto knew he would have been happy to simply be led by the bigger tom who incidentally looked quite funny with his dripping fur sticking to him. The rain had completely drenched him and his fur clung to his body making him feel noticeably uncomfortable and even through the cold rain Misto felt warmer to know Macavity was putting himself at such a disadvantage just to help him and spend just a little bit more time with him before he had to scarper. He'd never expected him to be so kind and as he wondered just how much more he was going to discover about him Misto couldn't help but feel bubbly inside – for lack of a better word.

Soon enough the entrance to the junkyard was in sight and Misto smiled as he felt he was nearly safe. As he neared though he suddenly felt a pang of fear shoot through him and straight away he stopped dead in his tracks yanking on Macavity's arm as he did so.

"What's the matter?" the bigger tom asked turning around.

"What if someone's out?"

Macavity chuffed,

"Who on earth would be out in this weather?"

"But…what if?"

"Do you want me to check?"

"Are you mad? It's bad enough someone might see me; seeing you would cause a riot"

"Well, we can't stay out here"

Misto looked at Macavity thoughtfully for a moment and straight away the bigger tom decided to quell what he knew was going through the smaller tom's mind.

"I am not staying out here, Misto. Look, do you want me to leave you here and go?"

"No!" yelped the smaller tom before grabbing him and thinking fast again, "Just…okay, come on! Actually, no! Wait here!" he said before taking off towards the junkyard's entrance and then slowing to creep up and peek in to make sure there was no sign of eyes watching him. Step after step brought with it more relief and as soon as he was standing right in the middle of the junkyard's waterlogged clearing feeling completely horrible as the water sluiced through his fur he turned around and beckoned quickly for Macavity to follow him in. Macavity, as it happened, didn't feel at all comfortable anymore but really didn't want to leave Misto when it came down to it. It was kind of nice to know he objected so strongly when he suggested he leave him and it only took a moment more for him to realise this was the first time he'd actually been invited by Misto into his den. It sparked within him a strange new feeling he didn't really understand but all the same liked entirely.

Without his usual care he barrelled into Misto's den and stood there panting with the smaller tom who looked very much like a drowned rat. Together they simply stood in silence as the rain hammered down outside and it wasn't long before puddles of water started to pool around their paws. So too did they take in the sight of each other in their sorry states and without even trying to conceal it Macavity began to chuckle and soon laughed out loud at the crazy image that was Misto.

"What's so funny?" asked the smaller tom as he tried to fend off a shiver.

"You look hilarious!"

"Oh, shut up!" he replied before beginning to laugh too. "Here, let me see what I can do…"

With a little bit of razzmatazz and some sparkle bursting here and there Misto clapped his paws together and in a second all the water in their fur evaporated into steam and in its place left a snug warmness that made Misto rub himself happily.

"Feel better?" he asked smugly.

"Very much. Thank you" Macavity said smiling back at him and rubbing through the warmness in his own fur.

"Come here. Snuggle with me" said Misto as he tottered over to his bed and plonked himself down. Macavity slowly followed him and sat down on its edge before turning his body and looking at Misto who stared back at him with confusion. "Aren't you going to lie down?"

"Now that would be rather ungentletomly of me, wouldn't it?"

"You had no trouble last night"

"Oh, yeah…" the big tom said with an embarrassing stifle of a giggle, "Well, I'd had some wine and wasn't so inhibited and…well…I'm not sure I could have helped myself"

"Well, wouldn't you say that acquainted us well enough to do it again?"

"Do what?"

"Snuggle"

"Snuggle?"

"Snuggle."

Macavity wrinkled his nose,

"I'm not much for snuggling"

"Even with me?"

"Well…only with you then"

"Why not now?"

"I…Oh, I don't know"

"Come on, you'll like it"

"I know I will but I am a gentletom and so I can't"

"So why do they say you have a long string of broken hearts and jilted lovers trailing you?"

"Well…they weren't as special as you"

Misto smiled,

"Okay. Just out of curiosity though, just how many are we talking about?"

"Do you really want to know?" Macavity asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well…do I?"

"I'd say no"

"Why? Are there that many?"

"Well…I've certainly been around the block"

"Just how many times?" asked Misto with in slight shock.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure"

"You've forgotten?"

"Possibly a few here and there"

"Oh…wow…"

There was a short silence as Misto processed the new information and it made Macavity wonder if he'd said too much. Tentatively he opened his mouth to speak again but before he could Misto cut him off.

"You know what? I don't care. I just want to snuggle with you now"

"Really?" Macavity asked feeling a wide array of strange emotions.

"Do it and I'll forget about your legions of lovers"

"Okay, fine" Macavity said almost excitedly as he pulled his legs up and lay down behind Misto before putting his arms around him and pulling him close.

"Is this what they call spooning?" Misto asked all of a sudden.

"Yes" Macavity replied making sure the laughter which wanted to explode out of him like a bomb stay locked deep down inside.

"Why?"

"Because it looks like we're two spoons meshing together"

"Oh. Alright then"

With that they simply remained silent for a long time and before he knew it Misto's feline instincts took hold and he fell fast asleep. Macavity was made aware of it by the smaller tom's heavier breathing as he held him he enjoyed the gentle rise and fall of Misto's chest and his adorable shuffling every now and then. Misto really was as amazing as his reputation set him up to be but Macavity knew he'd never expected him to be so beautiful and charmingly kittenish. It was endearing in a way and once again he was reminded of how the youthful, sprightly chirpiness of Misto contrasted against his supposedly cold, hard, terrifying exterior. It played to something within him that was lost deep inside a long time ago and somehow Misto seemed to be calling to it and encouraging it to come out. He had no idea what it was but it was a part of him that it seemed he'd long forgotten and had needed to crush in order for him to survive out on his own. Somehow though it didn't seem like such a terrible thing for him to let down his guard to it for Misto and as he lay there with him in his arms Macavity only wanted to let himself go even more.

"Oh, Misto…" he whispered into the smaller tom's head fur as he closed his eyes and breathed in his scent gently. Lying there with him was perfect and he never wanted it to end.

* * *

A while later Misto woke up feeling a little cold and as he blinked his eyes open and yawned he looked behind him to see once again that Macavity wasn't there.

It didn't take long for the bigger tom to be found though and as Misto turned back so too did he see Macavity sitting a short distance away perusing some of his books. Delicately the smaller tom pushed himself up causing Macavity to look over.

"You've got some good ones here"

"Well, not as many as you" the smaller tom said.

"Even so, I have to congratulate you on your taste. Very good choices indeed"

"Well, most of them are just the few I've been able to find. It's hard to come by books since humans don't tend to throw too many away"

"I suppose not. Still, that's why I get them in other ways"

Misto paced over and clung to Macavity again before rubbing at him with his head.

"Do you ever get tired of that game?"

"What game?"

"The criminal game?"

"Well, it's not really a choice. I've had to do it for years"

"Why?"

"Ever since they kicked me out of here I've had to look after myself without any help from anyone"

"It sounds dreadful"

"Yes, at times I suppose. Still, it got easier"

"But surely whatever you did can't have been that bad"

Macavity was quiet for a moment and then sighed,

"To them I think it was. Actually, it really was but the way they saw it was far worse than how it actually happened"

"But what was it?"

"It was…just something. It's not nice business and…well…"

"I won't judge you. I promise I won't"

"Oh, Misto. I just don't know. It was a horrible time in my life and I hate everything that happened. I don't like talking about it"

"Have you ever told anyone?"

"Just my mother"

"Grizabella?"

"Yes"

"I suppose she was kind of an outcast too"

"Runs in the family I guess" Macavity said jokingly making Misto smile.

"Well, okay. But if you ever want to tell me I promise I won't hate you. How could I?"

"Oh, I'm sure there are some things I could do to get you to hate me. I'm sure there are many things I've done that would make your skin crawl"

"Nope! You're too wonderful for me to hate"

"So are you. How did I ever get so lucky as to get to spend so much time with you?"

"I've been asking myself the same question"

"You are so beautiful," Macavity said taking Misto's face gently in his paws.

"And you are so handsome" said Misto doing the same to him.

"I hope I never get to stop looking at this face"

"Me either"

The pair gazed into each other's eyes for a moment once again and as always both Misto and Macavity felt their desire to kiss each other grow greatly. Still, that nag of wondering whether the other was ready cursed both of them and as such they began to feel nervous again. Misto was getting tired of it by now though and decided to push past it. He couldn't fight the feeling anymore and had to just reach out and kiss the staggering tom before him or else he knew he'd just burst.

It was just at the moment when he was about to do so that Macavity pulled away and got up to go to the door and had he looked back at Misto he would have seen a huge look of disbelief and disappointment on his face.

The red tom simply walked over to the doorway and peered out into the daylight once again and after a moment turned back to Misto and said,

"Come and look at this"

Misto got up with a determined look about him and marched over to the doorway to join him and look at what it was he was telling of. He still had the same intention in his mind and was about to pull the bigger tom around before he suddenly caught sight of something out there up in the sky and straight away his determination left him to be replaced by wonder.

"Oh, wow. It's amazing!" said Misto almost airily as he gazed at a huge, bright rainbow hanging high in the air, "It's practically perfect"

"I know," said Macavity with a similar sound to his voice and as Misto pressed against him again so too did he feel that wonderful, mind-blowing charge that seemed to flow between them mystically. It filled him with warmness and compelled him towards Misto so very much that he once again was thrown of his paws with bewilderment. That morning had been perfect and even though he couldn't understand the fantastic, heartfelt reasons why he knew they were real and couldn't resist his own urges anymore.

"Misto" he said wondrously as he turned his head to the small tom whose own head was very close to his. Macavity simply took it in his paws again and leaned in close before pressing their lips together and kissing him softly for what seemed like an eternity. The moment their lips touched something exploded through Macavity that made him feel like his heart had stopped and was hammering harder than ever at the same time and it filled him with such energy that he felt as if he were on fire.

Misto on the other paw shot his eyes wide open the very instant he was kissed and then after a second or two melted into the warm, expert caress of Macavity's lips against his own before losing his mind entirely and falling into a world of indescribable bliss. Nothing else mattered in the world but he and Macavity right in that moment and truly Misto knew he'd never felt any greater feeling.

After a few seconds they parted and both kept their eyes closed in the mystery of the moment for a short while longer before Misto stared up at the bigger tom in sheer bewilderment and with a dazed look that was almost like a stupor. In an instant he felt a shiver run through him as he remembered the second they'd kissed over and over again and it wasn't until Macavity opened his mouth that he once again interrupted him by this time leaning forward himself and locking their lips together in their second kiss.

It was like electricity surged between them and without a care in the world they kissed and kissed and kissed for what seemed like forever as the rainbow above them shone down brightly and provided the perfect backdrop for that perfect moment when they began their lives as officially each other's.

**So, what d'ya think? Finally they got down to smooching and I suppose it's about bloody time!**

**Once again, sorry for the long wait and I will try to write the next one faster. **

**Please review you gorgeous lovelies! See you in the next chapter! x**


	9. Delusion

**Would it be useless to apologize that it took three weeks for me to write this chapter? I hope not: I'm so very sorry. You deserve an explanation though and I suppose it would be that in the last chapter I reached a point in the story where everything was pretty much fine and dandy in the middle point where my main characters finally did something we've been wishing they would do for about ever. That put me in a little rut because to get to the end you have to disturb that and put things on a new storyline and I found that transition a bit difficult. Still, I think I've done it and although I always had the story planned in my head I think I have some writing momentum going again now. All that, and I have essay deadlines coming from every direction that are really getting in the way of life. Education is so inconvenient at times! **

**Anyway, I'd like to retrospectively wish you all a Happy Halloween and a Happy Guy Fawkes night. I kinda wanted to write the latter one into this story but it didn't really fit the pacing. Maybe I'll do it next chapter.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 9**

**Delusion**

It puzzled Misto as to why he physically reacted in the way that he did to kissing his new beau. He seemed to be perfectly fine when they kissed tenderly and sweetly but when it came to stepping past that and allowing passion to consume them both he didn't understand why he experienced something akin to an out-of-body experience – if indeed that was the appropriate term for it. Perhaps it was just Macavity being a master of his art or some sneaky facet of his being a magician but whatever the reason Misto simply couldn't resist letting his mind instantly melt whenever Macavity pushed his tongue into his mouth and put a carnal, animal mark on their previously well-behaved smooching. It was heavenly but sinful and above all Misto just didn't care about anything else. If Macavity could make him feel that amazing and delightfully bad at the same time then who was he to try and fend off the pleasurable effects?

As it happened Misto found himself floating about a mile higher than his body which incidentally was in the clutches of the Napoleon of Crime in a secluded corner of the junkyard on a surprisingly bright and sunny autumn afternoon. Around them the light seemed to make everything look rather orange and yellow but the chill in the air reminded the world to maintain its distinctive autumnal touch. A tree that hung over the junkyard's fence occasionally shed a few withered leaves which rained down around the pair of toms who kissed secretly down below and truly the setting filled them both with a strangely youthful buzz. Perhaps for Misto it was the thrill of doing something so forbidden and loathed by his tribe and perhaps for Macavity it was the delight of managing to so easily dupe the Jellicles and do something so bad with one of their own but it was probably the sheer thrill of being caught that really frightened both of them and only made them want to do it more. What they were doing was taboo and to get away with it was like finding the Holy Grail.

Macavity pulled away from his Misto who lay beneath him on the remains of what probably used to be a coffee table and watched as the black and white cat's grasp on reality returned to him. It made him chuckle to see Misto's eyes and ears flicker briefly before shaking his head and staring up as if he didn't know where he was. It was an adorable sight but also one he found most gratifying and reminded him that his tongue had never lost its mastery.

"What's wrong?" Misto asked as he breathed slightly more heavily to get his breath back.

"I just wanted to see you do it again"

"It's not funny"

"It is"

"Well, it's not fair"

"Why is it not fair?" Macavity asked before sitting up, pulling Misto onto his lap and then lightly nipping at the fur on his neck.

"Because it's not"

"I think it is"

"How do you even do it?"

"I'm just a fantastic kisser"

"I'll say you are" Misto said grabbing Macavity's head and pushing him onto his back before pressing their lips together again, "Maybe I just need to find a way of doing it to you"

"I'd like to see you try"

"You underestimate me"

"We'll see"

The two rolled around together for a little while longer before they both ended up on their backs staring up the emptying branches of the tree which loomed over them silently.

"It's getting colder now," Misto said lightly.

"Are you sure? It seems to be fairly warm today"

"No, I mean that the weather as a whole is getting colder. Winter is on the way"

"Oh, I see. I suppose you're right."

"I suppose we'll have to start spending more time indoors soon"

"Well, you can spend as much time at my lair as you like"

"Don't think I won't. I'll just have to think of something to get the tribe off my back"

"Oh, just get up and go whenever you like. I would"

"Of course you would but I don't think it would be as simple for me"

"Why not?"

"I don't know. Munk's really protective over us for some reason. It's the kittens especially and I think he still sees me as one"

"But you're not. I've certainly proven that"

"Yeah, well, maybe one day he'll let me be a grownup. Until then I think he'll be keeping and eye on me as close as he can"

"Should he have reason to?"

"Well, of course he has reason to" said Misto before rolling towards Macavity and pecking him on the lips, "but I don't think he's discovered you yet. Then again, he has been paying closer attention to me recently. I don't think he knows about us though"

"Do you think there's even a tiny chance he might?"

"I don't know. How could he really? I'll just have to keep an eye on him"

"As much as he keeps and eye on you?"

"Exactly"

"He really is a total bastard"

"Oh, come on, Macavity. I wouldn't go that far"

"Well, I think you've only seen his nice side"

"And you only his nasty?"

Macavity sighed, "I've seen both but been more at the receiving end of his nasty. He's just a jealous wanker"

"Jealous?"

"Jealous wanker. He could never get any of the queens when I was around"

"Oh…" said Misto not sure of how to feel about the comment, "and toms?"

"He's not interested. Even so, I think he was jealous of how I could always get more than he did"

"Right. Well…right. So…is that how you two fell out?"

Macavity was quiet for a moment before looking back at Misto,

"It might have contributed…but no, that wasn't the reason."

"Oh…" said Misto feeling he'd driven them both to an awkward place. Fortunately Macavity could see exactly how he was feeling and was quick to relieve him of his bad feeling.

"I would tell you, Misto. It's just that I don't want it to change the way you see me. I want you to see me as I really am without all the unpleasantness getting in the way"

Misto didn't really know what to say. On the one paw he didn't want to force Macavity to tell him something he obviously didn't want him to know but on the other paw he desperately wanted to know why this magnificent cat had been thrown out of his home.

"It wouldn't change anything. I won't see you any differently"

"I don't want to risk it. Misto, what happened was bad and I just don't want anything like it from the past ever to get in the way of the future. Our future"

"Oh…" said Misto with the same absence of direction, "Well, alright. No, actually that's fine. I'm not being fair. I'm sorry"

Macavity smiled and wrapped him in his arms again,

"No, it's alright. Why wouldn't you want to know? It's just that I'd prefer to let the past die…or at least let it die as best I can"

"Okay. I can understand that."

Macavity smiled even more,

"Oh, Misto. You are nothing but a blessing to me"

"I am not," said Misto bashfully.

"You are. Thank Everlasting you fell into my life"

"Quite literally in a way"

"Indeed that's true"

"So, how about-"

The pair were suddenly distracted by a faint voice calling 'Misto' from somewhere nearby and a second later the pair could hear a clattering getting closer. Misto froze but Macavity jumped to his paws and looked around frantically.

'Misto' came the voice again making the small black and white tom flick his head towards the direction from which it came in a panic. He didn't know what to do and after a moment desperately looked back to where he thought Macavity would be. True to his name Macavity had vanished and Misto sat there stunned for a moment before a chortle broke through and he spoke into the empty air but also to Macavity's ears that he knew were still listening somewhere close by,

"How do you do that?"

"Practice" came a fierce whisper from a direction Misto for the life of him just couldn't pinpoint.

"Misto?" came the voice more clearly and with enough detail to reveal its owner.

"Yes?" the smaller tom said turning his head and looking up at the periphery of the junk ridge that had concealed both he and Macavity up until that point. Looking back at him was the face of the silver tabby they'd been talking about and a moment later the bigger tom jumped up into full view.

"What are you doing all the way out here all on your-" Munk said before stopping abruptly and sniffing the air rather ungracefully. As he did so Misto could see he didn't look altogether perky and the flattened, drab appearance of his fur coupled with the slight rasp in his voice and the redness in his eyes only backed that deduction up.

"Are you alright?" Misto asked with a hint of surprise at the bigger tom's appearance.

"Yes…I just thought I smelled..." he began before stopping and staring down at Misto with more than his usual sternness, "…are you alone?"

"Yes"

"There's no one else here with you?"

"No. Who do you think you smelled?"

"…No one. I just…never mind. Anyway, what are you doing out here?"

"Just…taking some time out away from everybody else. It's a good place to think"

"I can think of better places. What makes here so nice?"

"No one would think to come here of course"

"Of course" said Munk with the same sternness and hint of deductive thought.

"Anyway? Are you sure you're alright? You look terrible"

"Thank you"

"Sorry. It's just…you look really tired"

"Yes, well, Demeter hasn't been well"

"Oh no. Will she be alright?"

"She'll be fine. It seems strange you'd choose here to get away from it all though. It's not particularly conducive to…anything for that matter"

"Well, it works for me"

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to hide something," the silver tabby said with a hard stare which he didn't conceal in any way.

"What do I have to hide?" asked Misto wondering whether the game was up and hoping he wasn't letting his nerves or desperate attempt at keeping his tail from lashing show through.

"You are a secretive cat, Misto. Are you sure there's nothing going on?"

"Munk, what's with all these questions? It's like you've never met me before"

Munk stood there silently for a moment not knowing where to go. Perhaps it was his exhaustion that was making him ask such blatant, suspicious questions and perhaps a well-rested Munkustrap might see he was being foolish for being even slightly suspicious about Misto - a cat who reason would tell him was probably the least likely to be doing something he would see as unfavourable or distasteful. Long, sleepless nights had given him time to think though and with his current load of stress being the only thing giving him food for thought he was beginning to lose sight of whether or not his suspicions were unfounded or not and something close to minor psychosis was occasionally beginning to creep in. Since Misto had inadvertently slipped into his equation for the cause of his mate's distress over Macavity the poor black and white tom had only garnered more negative light in his exhausted mind and while Munk told himself thinking that way was insane certain clues and happenings had started to give him cause to think that maybe thinking that way wasn't so crazy after all.

Why was it that he constantly thought he could smell Macavity in his junkyard? Many reasons. Why was it Misto always seemed to be in some way linked into that scent even in tiny ways that would otherwise be discounted as coincidence? Fewer reasons. Why was it he had now found Misto in an obscure, secluded location without any obvious reason to be there and at the same time get a strong sense of his brother's scent hanging around. One reason – that is if his recent midnight musings had been accurate.

Surely Misto wasn't secretly spending time with Macavity though. That was lunacy, wasn't it? This was Misto: an unassuming, generally quirky cat yet with an undeniably good character. He surely couldn't be up to something that he must have known was no good.

"Munk?" Misto asked with an air of concern and awkwardness.

"Wha-?" was all Munk could say as he was dragged out of his delirium to look down at Misto and gawk.

"You drifted off there."

"Oh, right. Yes, sorry. Um…okay, just come back soon, please. It'll get dark before long"

"And that'd be bad?"

"Just do it, please" the silver tabby said before turning and beginning to walk away, "I have a million problems that need dealing with and I'd really like wondering where you are not to be one of them"

"Okay, keep your fur on" Misto said as he disappeared from view.

Munk plodded away feeling a headache starting to come on and as he stomped down the trail that lead back to the junkyard's centre so too did he run his paws through his head fur and try to keep his mind clear. It was no use though since he just couldn't shake the feeling that he'd definitely smelt his brother again. As such he was thrust back to that place where he was wondering whether Misto was associating himself with the worst cat in existence and while that seemed silly he couldn't deny that everyday brought with it new evidence to support that conclusion. He didn't like thinking it but it seemed in some way possible despite being completely impossible and as he trudged on he found he really didn't have the energy to convince himself otherwise.

He really hoped Misto wasn't doing what he suspected but truth be told he couldn't deny he had that feeling which seemed to suggest he was up to something not quite right.

With a frustrated sigh Munk increased his pace and again simply told himself he was being ridiculous. Misto was not that kind of cat and surely he wouldn't be so silly as to make friends with Macavity. Misto was the cleverest cat around so surely he had enough common sense to keep away from anything that objectionable.

Then again, what if his hunches were right?

"Oh, Everlasting Cat! Help me!" he said angrily as he stopped dead. This was just another mental battle he'd been having with himself today. It can't have been healthy and as he stood there he simply wished he could have a break from his current state of strife.

'_Why__can__'__t__everything__just__behave__as__it__should__for__once?__' _he thought to himself as he stood there in the slowly cooling air.

Back at the junkyard's fence Misto waited for a while and listened intently for what seemed like ages before finally saying,

"He's gone"

"I know," said Macavity making Misto jump and spin around to find his tom standing right behind him.

"What is it with you appearing out of nowhere?"

"I rather think it's a unique skill"

"Well, not anymore" said Misto standing up and touching their noses together briefly.

"So, I see that daffy idiot is still just as crazy as ever"

"I don't know, he's looking very tired and stressed"

"Getting old. Well, he always was ten years older than his body"

"No, it's something else. Something's really bugging him"

"Misto" said Macavity taking the smaller cat's face in his paws, "While I cannot fathom the reason as to why you think it important I for one can't think of anything more boring than worrying about that deranged, stuffy, idiot brother of mine. Now, if you don't mind I'd like to take you to dinner."

"Alright" said Misto forgetting about everything else, "Lead the way, McVities"

"Please don't call me that. It's bad enough those two scoundrels think they can"

"So should I try and think of a name for you that only I can use?"

"'Macavity' really isn't a name you can do much with"

"How about 'Macaroon'?"

"No, thank you"

"'Old MacDonald'?"

"No"

"Oh, I'm sure I can think of something fun"

Macavity rolled his eyes and sighed before beginning to lead Misto away and saying,

"If you must"

* * *

Back in the centre of the junkyard the kittens were causing as much mayhem as ever and were in the middle of a rousing game of something between tag and hide and seek. Asking one of them what they were playing would have been fruitless but somehow they all seemed to know what they were doing and even if they didn't it wouldn't have taken long to realise that all one had to do to join in was to run wildly and shout to the high heavens.

The group of furballs flew around the clearing causing other cats to jump out of their way and then dodge falling junk as it was knocked from surrounding piles but since the Jellicle Leader was watching them go and laughing along with their antics no one seemed to mind the chaos they were causing. Old Deuteronomy loved kittens and had done so for a long time. As such he watched them as he waited for his son to return and greet him on this seldom visit he'd decided to make.

Munk, as it happened, was in the process of storming his way back to the clearing and as he began to hear the loud shrieks of calamity radiate from where he was heading so too did he groan at the throb which threatened to grip his skull. Still, he knew there was nothing to do but face it and as he struggled not to start pulling his fur out then and there he pushed himself onwards to take on the kittens' madness which waited for him to arrive any moment now.

As soon as he set a single paw on the floor of the clearing he was surrounded by kittens who jumped at him and clung to his body as if he were their favourite toy and whilst he really wasn't in the mood to receive such a bashing he nonetheless put up with it so as not to look bad in the face of his father. With massive strain he lugged himself and various kittens along with him towards the old tom who sat patiently waiting for him and as soon as he'd hauled them upwards onto the big tyre he turned and began to shake them gently off of him.

"Okay, everyone, that's enough. I'd like to talk to Old Deuteronomy now"

The kittens simply looked back at him without moving.

"Get off me now, please"

Still they stared unwittingly.

"Get off!" he suddenly shot angrily and shook the smaller cats off of his body making them quickly scarper. He stared at them as they sped away and wondered briefly if he had been too harsh before closing his eyes, sighing and sitting down without looking at his father who if he had he would see was just as calm and composed as ever and looking for the perfect moment to speak up.

"I see you're having trouble keeping a hold of your mind" the old tom said after a few moments.

"No, sir, I-"

"Munkustrap…"

"Sorry. No, Dad, I'm doing just fine"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You look a tad stressed"

"Well, that's a given. I'm handling it though"

"And what exactly is 'it'?"

"Just…the tribe. Keeping things in order"

"Well, I shan't pretend it's something that's easy. You do know it wouldn't be shameful for you to concede that, don't you?"

"Well, you and I see that quite differently"

"I know. I also know how you consider your duties and how such behaviour can't always be entirely healthy"

"So you say"

"So I know. I do think you push yourself too hard"

"Well, that's for you to think"

"Don't talk back to me, Munkustrap"

"Sorry, Sir"

"Sir?"

"Father"

"Oh, come on, Munkustrap"

"Fine. Dad"

Old Deuteronomy sighed,

"We got there. Now, why don't you start at the beginning and tell me all about it?"

"I said I was handling it"

"Even so, I don't expect you to keep me in the dark"

"Oh, Dad, come on…"

"Now, please, Munkustrap"

Munk sat there stewing for a moment like a spoiled kitten and finally opened his mouth when he realised he wasn't going to get out of this.

"Fine. Well, it's getting colder now and the rats are seeming to become slightly more scarce although I think there will be enough for the time being, there's been some strays hanging around nearby but they're keeping their distance so I don't think we need to worry and Jenny's seeing the kittens are prepared for the winter so all in all I'd say everything is fine"

"Well, that's good although I don't think all of that would lead you to looking so run down"

"Well, I always have a lot on my plate"

"Very true but keeping it to yourself isn't going to make you feel any better"

Munk sat silently again for a moment and wondered whether or not he should tell his father about the problems with Demeter, the problems with Misto and his own sense of losing his mind and thought for a moment it would be a great idea since his father always knew what was best.

How could he do that though? How could he confess that things were not going well? It was, after all, his job to keep things on the straight and narrow and he couldn't bear to admit that he was losing his grasp on things. Even further than that he didn't want to admit to himself things were becoming harder to control. Everything had to be fine – end of story.

"I…uh…I've just been worn down lately" he eventually said, "Ever since that mess at the ball I've been keeping a closer eye on things and haven't been able to get much sleep. The kittens are getting older too and they're finding new ways to run rings around me so it's much harder to keep them in line"

Old Deuteronomy chuckled allowing Munk to feel like he'd given him the slip.

"Ah, yes, they do get cleverer. You were certainly like that at their age"

"I was?"

"Indeed. It was your brother that was the easy one despite how hard that might be to believe. Tugger was never one to push me too far when he was a kitten and I only wish the same could be said for him now"

"Me too."

"Well, I suppose that's just the way he is and I wouldn't like to change him"

"I would"

"Well, I think you know what I mean"

"Yes, well, maybe" said Munk feeling thankful that he didn't have to skirt around the big issues anymore. Feeling as if he'd escaped he cleared his throat and spoke again, "Uh, listen, Dad. Do you mind if I carry on? Only I've still got plenty to do"

"Yes, yes, go on then but please don't work yourself too hard"

"I won't" said Munk as he got up and left leaving the older tom shaking his head knowing that no matter what he said Munk would always be one for stretching himself farther than he should.

Without much going through his head he sloppily plodded back to his den and once there threw himself down on his bed which he found to be surprisingly empty. He had expected Demeter to be there getting as much rest as she could but fortunately she seemed to be out so must have been having a good day without apparitions of Macavity haunting her.

Slowly the silver tabby turned himself over and looked up at the ceiling and allowed his tired mind to wander for a while and enjoyed the few precious moments of downtime he had before he knew he'd be called away once more. It was certainly true what his father said: he probably did work himself too hard. In the end though he considered the amount of work he did as standard for the duty he was charged with and as such didn't moan or contest with it in any way. It was simply his job and if he didn't do it then the Jellicles for whom he cared so dearly would have to look out for themselves and despite how highly he thought of them he knew many of them weren't capable of doing so. They were a family more than they were a tribe and even more than that they were his family who he would hate to see come to any kind of loss or misfortune. He cared for them and wanted them all to be happy and he was perfectly content with that being so even if he couldn't be happy himself. That was truer some days than it was on others and it seemed no truer than it had been for the last couple of weeks – more or less.

Demeter was undoubtedly his world and he hated himself for not being able to protect her from something. She was the most amazing cat he'd ever met and he never wanted to see her unhappy. Now something had come along and was hurting her and even though he knew exactly what it was there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Or was there? Perhaps in prior days he might have come to that conclusion but he'd been afforded time to think and although he might have been a little crazy he certainly seemed to have reason in his mind now to think that maybe there was something he could do about his mate's distress. That is, of course, if what he assumed was accurate and as he considered it he allowed himself to play devil's advocate for a moment.

Say that Macavity was indeed coming into the junkyard and was somehow – despite how farfetched it seemed – was doing so under his very nose. That in itself was something to be very concerned about. The burning question though was why and as such it seemed he had an answer – despite not knowing the reason for that answer. Say Macavity was in some way engaging himself with Misto, that gave him even more reason for concern because he'd never have assumed that was a cat Macavity might have any kind of interest in and as such he wondered what kind of game his despicable brother was now playing. If these two points were true then not only was Macavity coming into the junkyard but he was trying out a new, much more dangerous way of disrupting them and possibly even hurting them and that to Munk was just awful. Moreover, if it was true then how could he not have seen it at first sight?

Through his annoyance with himself though there was a little red flag that went up in his mind and interrupted that internal strife. If indeed Macavity was working his way in through Misto then that was indeed bad but it seemed Misto was now lying to him and trying to play him for the fool. If it were all true then why on earth would Misto do such a thing? He must have known, after all, what a terrible cat Macavity was but it seemed the fact was that he'd ignored all of their dire warnings and tales of caution and was still disobeying and thinking only of himself without regard to anybody else's safety.

If it was true then it was very bad and Munk didn't like it one bit.

Unfortunately for Misto Munk remained on this train of thought for a while and as he spiralled further and further downward so too did he lose his grip on reason and start to believe that what he assumed about Misto was not just conjecture but a given and as such he grew quite angry with the smaller tom. Maybe it was just because he was desperate for an outlet to his grief and strain but no matter what the reason he felt Misto was almost taunting him by thinking he could get away with secretly seeing Macavity and that to Munk was disgusting - almost as disgusting as the Napoleon of Crime himself.

* * *

Time passed slowly as the rest of the night went by and as per recent times Munk did not have an enjoyable few hours. Aside from Demeter actually seeming to be okay on this particular night and seeming to show a flicker of her usually cheery self she quickly hopped off to bed in order to try and get a good night's sleep for once leaving Munk to stew alone on the big tyre perched at the edge of the clearing. He had not been in a good mood all evening and coupled with annoying kittens, a rambunctious brother and a wealth of other problems he'd had to sort out he was now tired and irritable and not primed to do anything else. Still, he had to sit there all night and keep a lookout for anything that might throw itself at him.

When everything died down and everyone made themselves scarce he sat there for the rest of the night going through his problems one by one and then cycling back to the beginning until he'd worked himself into a real funk. He was not happy and the problem was he didn't have an outlet for his building anger.

That wasn't entirely true though, there was one thing he knew of that was at least a viable outlet for that rage and that was Misto. He may not have had his brother to rip apart and he may not have been able to get inside his mate's head and destroy whatever problem she had but he did have Misto. It may not have been right but Misto was the single, physical, undoubtedly real option which, should he decide to use him, Munk knew he could release his frustration upon.

Strangely enough this time he didn't tell himself he was being crazy and while he let those thoughts retire into his tortured subconscious for a while he didn't wipe them out completely. If he'd known what he was doing then he would have known to fix it straight away but due to his internal disruption he was not thinking clearly and as such a dangerous ball of disillusion and anger began to simmer deep down inside him. That smouldering nag remained there for hours as he sat and looked on and remained waiting until much later when the unfortunate Misto decided to make his return.

As such, Misto had up until that point had rather a nice evening and was feeling quite contented as he ambled along with Macavity back towards the junkyard shortly before the sun began to light the horizon for the morning. They'd spent a lovely evening together and Macavity as always had pulled out all the stops to give him a nice night. Of course, nowadays, they spent a lot of their time alone with their lips pressed together as all relationships in their early stages tend to follow. Needless to say they were very into each other and it made Misto feel annoyed that any minute now they'd be back at his den and Macavity would have to leave.

As they neared the junkyard's central clearing they slowed and Macavity looked to his side where Misto gazed back happily.

"I had a wonderful evening with you" he said to Misto with just as much allure in his voice as always.

"Me too" replied Misto without trying to hide his kittenishness, "Do you want to come in for a while?"

"I'd love to but I'm not sure my mouth can handle another workout tonight"

Misto giggled,

"Oh, come on. I'm sure you've got another one in you"

Macavity smiled back and then rolled his eyes,

"Alright then but not too long. Let me just…" he said as he trailed off and silently climbed up the junk periphery of the clearing and peered delicately over the top. "…Oh damn. The bastard's sitting right there"

"Munk? Can't you distract him"

"No, I'd better not. We don't want him to start suspecting things"

"Oh, can't you come in for a little bit?"

"Sorry, Misto. I suppose you'll just have to wait for tomorrow night"

"Please!" the smaller tom said widening his eyes and trying to look as cute as he possibly could. Macavity just chuckled and leapt back down to kiss him again. As usual they spent far longer than just a moment doing so and eventually parted with each other's head in their paws.

"Sorry. I'd better go or he'll start smelling me"

"But I hate to see you go"

"Really? I rather like watching you go"

"What?" asked Misto with strange confusion before Macavity suddenly slipped his paw down to Misto's hip and gave him a wry look. "Oh" Misto said before turning slightly red and biting his lip.

"Perhaps you might extend me the same courtesy tonight"

"If you insist" said Misto failing at hiding his sudden feeling of cheekiness.

"Okay, see you tomorrow" said Macavity before kissing his tux again and parting from him slowly. As promised Misto allowed his eyes to wander down to the bigger tom's behind as he wandered away and felt a stirring, bubbly feeling within him that made him even more embarrassed than before. Macavity certainly was well crafted in that region and Misto found there was absolutely nothing he didn't like with what he saw.

When the red tom had disappeared from view Misto gathered together his dreamy mind again and turned around to begin his last little walk to his home on the other side of the junk. As he went he felt he almost hovered through the air and the feeling of being on a cloud was simply heavenly putting a bounce in his step. Unfortunately for him he also made quite an exhibition of his re-entry into the clearing and as soon as his pristinely black and white fur came into view Munk's eyes were upon him and burning holes in his slender form.

Suddenly the object of his mind's current turmoil was there in front of him and the silver tabby saw nothing else but red. There was something else burning inside now and it pushed him right over the edge into a bad place that would soon see him regretting himself more than ever.

There was Misto, the cat he was angry with but what's more there was Misto returning from wherever he had been much later than when he'd been told to come back. Munk specifically remembered he'd told Misto to return to the clearing soon and that was before the sun had even gone down. Coming in now was a real mockery and Munk couldn't believe the tux's audacity. Where on earth had he been and what had he been doing? How dare he think he could get away with something like this?

In an instant Munk was on his paws and storming over to Misto who didn't see him coming until the last moment. The sudden shock of seeing Munk's face as black as coal was almost frightening and it made the tux jump at the sight of it.

"Oh! Hi, Mun-" Misto began.

"Don't you, 'Hi, Munk' me you little shit! Where the hell have you been?"

Misto simply stood there like a deer in the headlights at the sudden outburst of his protector and could only respond with a stuttered mumbling with no kind of meaning. Munk wasn't even in the mood to let him reply and simply carried on in his rage.

"Do you think it's alright that you can just do whatever you please? Don't you have any respect for anyone but yourself? Are you that damn selfish?"

"I…I…What? What are you…?" was all Misto could say.

Munk cut him off and simply let his anger flow freely into the quivering tom in front of him and once he let it loose he found it very difficult to hold back the mountain that had built up from previous days' torment. Maybe it was because it felt good to let it out or maybe anger only begat more anger but whatever the reason Munk's shouting became ever more heated and all Misto could do was stand there in shock and terrible confusion.

Then something worse happened and it only served to make Misto suddenly feel terrified. In an instant Munk halted his ranting and sniffed the air in front of Misto with a deep look of horror on his face. It was the scent of Macavity and in that moment rationality was completely gone. Misto had been with Macavity; he just knew it and that made Munk all the more livid. With acid in his voice Munk once again spoke making Misto feel very exposed and endangered.

"Where have you been?"

"N-…Nowhere" Misto squeaked feeling his mind go blank.

Without warning Munk suddenly reached forward and grabbed Misto's wrist before clamping all his strength down on it in fury.

"I said where have you been?" he shouted down at Misto as he began to cower and yelp from the pain with the dull cracking of bones threatening to break radiating through the air.

"Nowhere!" Misto shouted as he tried to pull away but Munk simply held on and only clamped down harder on the poor tux's wrist. Without thinking Munk let his claws flare and as he gripped they began to pierce Misto's skin and make the smaller tom shout out in fear and agony.

"I'm not going to ask you again!" screamed Munk getting right up in Misto's face, "Where have you-"

"Munkustrap!" came a sudden screech from across the clearing making the silver tabby suddenly release his grip and spin around. Suddenly he felt his thumping heart sink and a coldness gripped him as he looked around to see dozens of pairs of eyes stare back at him in horror. It seemed the entire tribe had heard his shouts of fury and had come to see what the commotion was only to find him bearing fiercely down on Misto.

Carefully he looked around to each of them and then finally settled on one pair that belonged to his mate who he now realised the shout belonged to as he replayed it in his mind.

Before he could speak he suddenly heard a scrambling and turned around just in time to see Misto disappearing down his pipe into his den. Straight away he realized what he'd done and was filled with a stabbing regret that shook his entire body and made him feel simply awful. How could he have done what he'd just done and to Misto above all things? Of all the cats that he could have snapped over how could he have done it to him?

As he slowly turned back he uncomfortably locked eyes with Demeter once more who seemed to be in shock as she gazed back with her eyes wide and her face disgusted. He didn't know what to do and as the painful seconds ticked by he simply continued to stand there and soak in the shame and judgement of the tribe that had always looked up to and depended on him.

Things had really become bad now and as Munk thought about his life – now with a less blinkered, less angered view – he couldn't believe where he'd allowed himself to end up.

* * *

The next morning wasn't easy for Munk. Needless to say it hadn't taken long for Demeter to begin savagely reprimanding him for what she'd seen him do to Misto and not long after she'd stormed off to stay with Bomba for the rest of the night he'd had the rest of the tribe on his case. Most of them had simply torn into him with their loathsome stares but Jenny, of course, had taken time to tell him exactly what she thought. It seemed she also still saw Misto as a bit of a kitten and hadn't taken kindly to seeing what he'd done to one of her sweet little babies. Needless to say Munk parted with her feeling about and inch tall and thoroughly emasculated.

Now the next day had come he made sure to get up early – not that he'd slept much – and left his den so as not to have to deal with the rest of the tribe – at least not yet. He had to apologize to Misto and hope the tux would forgive him for being such an arse. He really did feel dreadful for ripping into him like that and now that the feeling had sat within him for a few hours he had never felt more worthless. What he'd done was truly despicable and he hated himself for it.

Without wasting any time Munk padded across the clearing in the cold, dim morning air and stopped at the entrance of Misto's den. He waited there for a while simply watching his breath cloud in the cold and tried to steady himself as he attempted to find the strength to go in. Seeing Misto was going to be tough since this time he was the one that was in the wrong. It was very different offering an apology rather than receiving one and as such Munk didn't like being in the position he was in.

Still, what else was there to do but get it over with? He'd done something horrible to Misto and right now the very same cat was inside his den keeping to himself and out of sight. Munk knew how Misto reacted when he was frightened like this and as such he was sure the tux was feeling quite afraid. He had to fix this right now and so with a gulp the silver tabby ducked down and crawled into the pipe.

Inside Misto was still sleeping and as Munk straightened himself up in the darkness of the den he walked over quietly to look at the cat he'd screamed at. When he stopped he could see a bandage wrapped around the wrist he'd pierced with his claws and straight away remembered how hard he'd gripped him and began to feel even more disgusting.

Briefly he wondered whether or not to wake Misto and eventually decided he couldn't let the feeling of shame linger in his consciousness anymore. So, with a lasting pang of regret in his heart he reached down and gently shook Misto awake.

At first the tux stirred quietly and then cracked his eyes open only to flinch and scoot up in his bed when he realised whom it was.

"It's okay! I promise! Please, just hear me out"

Misto sat there rigidly and looked back at Munk with fear in his eyes as he tried to bring his sleepy mind together. Last night had been utterly petrifying and for the life of him he had never seen Munk's outburst coming. As such he'd fled as soon as he'd gotten the chance and had spent the rest of the night delicately bandaging up his bleeding wrist which still stung terribly. Now the morning had come it seemed bruising was beginning to set in and even though he couldn't see it through his jet-black fur Misto could feel the dull ache and stiffness of his abused arm muscles coming to join the sting of the now less fresh lacerations.

Munk hated seeing him like that and wished he could click his fingers and make it alright again. Still, that wasn't the way the world worked and he had to start somewhere. With another heavy breath he began his attempt at apologizing.

"Misto, what happened last night…I…"

He stopped when he realised he really didn't know what to say and remained silent letting the tension build between them magnanimously before he felt short, fleeting words fly into his mind hoping they might make sense when he said them.

"…I…didn't mean to…explode like that…I was…Oh, I don't know what I was, I was just angry and upset…Things haven't been going well recently and I…Oh…I don't know…"

Munk turned around and pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt more of a fool than ever. He was terrible at this and he can't have been making Misto feel any more at ease. He'd really screwed up - he wasn't used to doing that and therefore he wasn't used to making up for it. He could have been making things worse without even trying and as he began to feel like dirt he almost began to wish he hadn't even tried. Still, he'd started now and stopping would only be less useful.

"I'm sorry" he simply said with every last shred of sincerity he had within him, "I never meant to lose my temper with you. You didn't even do anything wrong and for one moment I let my mind get carried away and started to believe something that's so obviously untrue"

Still there was silence from Misto and Munk didn't know how to carry on. As he felt himself becoming only less at ease he sighed again and decided to just lay it all out for Misto. Maybe then he'd understand.

"Look, Misto, I'll tell you the truth. Things have not been right with Demeter lately and it's really getting me down. She's been having nightmares and panic attacks thinking that Macavity of all cats is going to get her. She's always been scared of him and I think all of that mess at the ball really spooked her. Anyway, she's been falling to pieces and there's nothing I've been able to do about it and so I'm sure you see why I've been getting…well, the way I've been"

Misto was still quiet but Munk could tell he was listening so he carried on.

"Well, anyway, she gets these feelings whenever Macavity's nearby and although it seems she might have been having false alarms she's been having a lot of them lately or I suppose what seem like false alarms and there's doesn't seem to be an end in sight. It's kept me up a lot and for some reason I've started to believe they're real. Worse than that I even started to think you were the one he was coming for."

Misto suddenly perked up at that and had a look of something close to horror in his eyes as Munk hit the nail right on the head although unwittingly. Fortunately for him Munk didn't know how correct he was and dashed what he'd said straight away.

"Don't worry! I know how ridiculous that sounds and I never should have let myself think that. I can't believe I ever doubted you for even a second"

Misto sat rigidly but managed to bite his lip in worry which Munk only interpreted as some kind of acceptance.

"Well, there it is. That's the long and the short of it and I do understand how stupid I've been. I don't expect you to forgive me right away but I do want you to know how sorry I am." Briefly Munk glanced down to Misto's wrist before saying, "Does it hurt much?"

"A little" said Misto quietly. The words were so meek and timid that they practically tore a hole through Munk's heart and only made him feel like more of a monster for abusing Misto in that way.

"I'm so very sorry. I promise I'll never do it again"

"Okay" said Misto in the same voice as before.

"Can I do anything for you? Bring you anything?"

"No, thank you"

"Alright" said Munk turning away to leave. Just before he left he turned back and smiled weakly at Misto who managed to mirror the expression in his shocked state and then he left without another word.

Misto simply sat staring at the door in sheer amazement at what Munk had said and had no idea he'd figured out what he'd been. True, he didn't know that he knew but it would only take one tiny piece of evidence to prove himself right and Misto just couldn't believe it had happened. How could he have believed for a moment that he would have been able to pull the wool over Munk's eyes and see Macavity without him finding out. He was in trouble now and he had no idea what to do with what he knew.

All he did know was that he wanted Macavity right away and so without hesitating he jumped out of bed and fled from his den and out of the junkyard making sure Munk didn't see him as he went. As he ran he fought back moisture in his eyes as he wondered if things were over as soon as they'd even begun and desperately hoped it wasn't true. He didn't want to stop seeing the one cat in the whole world he felt most in tune with and to even think about it upset him more and pushed him to run faster.

* * *

In his lair Macavity slept soundly after his lovely night with Misto and smiled in his sleep as he dreamt about the beautiful little tux that he was over the moon about. Nothing at all could have prepared him for the sudden ball of fur that came flying at him and jolted him out of his slumber making his fur puff up and his claws brandish before he looked down to see the very unhappy face of Misto staring back at him. Quickly he blinked to make sure he'd seen the waking world properly and when he found he had he suddenly swooped down and took the poor, upset Misto in his arms.

"My, dear, whatever is the matter?" he asked as tenderly as he could.

"Munk knows! He knows, Macavity! He figured us out!"

"What? What do you mean?"

"He came into my den this morning and told me he thought we were seeing each other. I mean, he doesn't know he knows but he does know and he might-"

"Shh shh shh shh shh" said Macavity putting his paw to Misto's lips and hugging him tightly once more to try and calm him down. He sort of got the idea of what the tux was saying but it was still unclear and so he took a few minutes to let him calm down and then sat back to dry his eyes and tried and find out what the real story was.

As Misto related what had happened to him in greater detail Macavity felt his heart sink slightly and sighed when Misto had finished. It was just like his brother to be that sneaky in figuring things out and it was one of the reasons he detested him. Still, not all was lost at this point and so he did his best to try and reassure Misto that things were still going to be okay.

"Misto, my darling, it's alright. It will be alright, I promise you"

"But how?" Misto said with fear, "All it would take is for to him to be in the right place at the right time and then it would all be over"

"Misto, relax. I promise you it won't come to that. You seem to forget I'm very good and sneaking around and remaining undercover"

"Not so good, it seems" said Misto making Macavity smile as he felt some of Misto's sass returning.

"Well, maybe I've been a bit lax in keeping out of sight. I'll just have to be better at it"

"But…I don't know"

"Well, I do and I know that I'm not going to stop seeing you just because my idiot brother has a hunch."

"But…how?"

"Just leave it to me. I'll make it all okay"

Misto smiled weakly and buried his face in Macavity's chest once again letting the bigger tom hug him and stroke him gently in the stillness of the early morning. Eventually they both lay down again and Misto soon drifted off to sleep in the warmth and comfort of Macavity who held him close. He did not go to sleep and as Misto lay next to him he allowed himself that time to worry about what was really going to happen. He had to keep a brave face for Misto but he couldn't deny that this was going to make things more difficult. He couldn't go without seeing Misto though and so somehow things were just going to have to work in any way they could.

They stayed there for hours and as Misto slept and it wasn't long before Macavity noticed the gauze surrounding his wrist. It wasn't like Misto to forget to take care in anything he did but eventually he just shrugged it off and smiled. After all it seemed someone as clever and innovative as Misto was always going to hurt himself sooner or later; surely that was just a law of nature.

* * *

The rest of the day passed with both Munk and Misto keeping away from the Jellicles and when evening finally came around Munk found himself slinking back from patrolling the furthest reaches of the junkyard's perimeter to the darkened but no less judgemental clearing. Trying not to look at anyone he set his sights firmly on the big tyre from where he could sit and look out – again hopefully without having to look at anyone directly – and make sure they were all safe. He considered asking Alonzo to go on watch that night but he was pretty sure he'd seen just as much disgust in him the night before when he'd let loose on Misto.

With a withered sigh he placed himself down on the tyre's hard, weathered rubber and sat there staring at his paws whilst every now and then looking up to make sure everything was as it should be. Every time he did so he felt the dagger-like eyes pierce him from almost all of the Jellicles who actually understood what he'd done and it wasn't long before he retired back to his den to escape their stares. Unfortunately for him Demeter was waiting for him inside and she once again took the time to tell him what a horrible thing it was he'd done. It wasn't nice but Munk was at least glad to see her acting like her usual, feisty self.

Much later when he was sure everyone was gone he exited his den once more to begin his watch without the Jellicles' resentment and as he sat silently in the cold, clear night air he looked up into the sky to the stars which shone back at him from way up in the Heaviside layer. For some reason they seemed different tonight and for the first time looking up into the vast expanse with those millions of twinkling lights - coupled with the feeling of dread he held within from being hated by the rest of the tribe - made him feel very small in the grand scheme of things. He'd never quite considered how tiny and insignificant he really was in the world and it put into perspective for him just how important the love of his fellow Jellicles really was.

His philosophical musings were interrupted when he felt a great big mass of something throw itself down onto the tyre with him and before he could bring his eyes down to see what it was he was punched on the shoulder by a leopard printed paw. With a groan Munk rolled his eyes and rubbed the spot before simply saying,

"Good evening, Tugger"

"Alright, twat-face?" the maned tom said as made himself comfortable.

"What can I do for you?"

"Not much. I thought you might want me to tell you where Misto is so you can go and beat him up again"

Munk shot him a glare before turning away shamefully once more.

"I didn't mean to behave like that. You know I wouldn't usually"

"And yet there it is. Well, I can't blame you really. Probably all that tension building up inside. What is it? Can't perform in the bedroom anymore?"

"No"

"No it's not or no you can't?"

"No, it's not"

"Strange. I always suspected it would be the other one"

"Oh, do shut up, Tug"

Tugger smiled meanly and lay back on the tyre. He loved tormenting his older brother like this.

"Why'd you do it anyway?"

"Do what?"

"You know what. Why'd you lay into Misto like that?"

Munk sighed,

"I forgot myself for a moment and lost my temper"

"Oh, come on. There must've been more than that"

"Nope. Not really"

"Well, what did he do to you to make you so mad?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing"

"So you've finally gone crazy, is it?"

Munk was quiet for a moment and then finally said,

"I don't know. Perhaps. I thought I was sure about something that in reality is ridiculous and I got carried away and eventually snapped. I never should have let it get so far"

"Let what get so far?"

Munk sighed again,

"Well, you may as well know. I've been run ragged recently and-"

"I noticed. You look like hell"

"Thank you. Anyway, I've not been doing so well and without telling the whole story lets just say I got a bit delusional. Because of that I, for some reason, thought Misto was sneaking off to see Macavity behind our backs and I couldn't see how stupid I was being until after I'd exploded at him"

Tugger sat there for a moment with a look of strange confusion on his face before finally saying,

"Err…crazy wankers say what"

"What?"

"Exactly. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking. That's the point"

"Even so, are you that much of a psycho loser you couldn't see thinking that was more than twat-faced?"

"Your vocabulary is truly inspirational"

"Don't get funny, shithead. What the hell kind of crazy are you spouting nowadays?"

"The kind that makes me do what I did I suppose"

"You better apologize to him as soon as you can"

"I did this morning"

"Did he accept?"

"I don't know. He didn't say much"

"You must've really spooked him, you massive idiot!"

"Yes. I am an idiot and I know it. I wish I could take it back but I can't and now the whole tribe hates me"

"Well, at least your perception isn't off. Firstly, don't whine like that because you sound like a bitch and then maybe you should try apologizing again"

"I…well…maybe you're right. Next time I see him I will"

"Come to think of it I haven't seen him all day"

"Really? I mean, I didn't because I wasn't here but you haven't either?"

Tugger simply chuffed and shook his head.

"Yeah, you know what? I bet he actually was with Macavity making little Munkustrap voodoo dolls. Any minute now you'll start feeling the pins when they push them in"

"Oh, sod off, Tug!"

"Well, can't you hear yourself? You're doing it again"

"I know! I know! Everlasting Cat, I need to get a grip!"

"Hallelujah! He's seen the light!" shouted Tug throwing his arms up in the air. Munk just slumped and looked away and for a moment Tugger could see the sheer amount of shame the silver tabby felt. On this very rare occasion he actually felt sorry for his brother and as the silence lingered on between them he eventually groaned and clasped his paw on his brother's shoulder. "It's alright, Munk. Things will go back to normal"

"I don't know, Tug. Things aren't going well"

"Well, start with Misto. You know he'd never do something like fall in with such a bad crowd as Macavity"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right"

"And listen. We threw Macavity out years ago so he probably hates all of us. Why on the one paw would he even consider trying to be friends with one of us when he hates us all so much and on the other why would Misto, the cleverest cat we know, be naive enough to fall for one of his tricks if he were trying to somehow get in?"

"Hmm. Yeah, you're right. For once you're actually right"

"See? I'm not as dumb as you think."

"I wouldn't go that far"

"Don't be such a tosser! Anyway, I'm off. I'm gonna go and give Bomba a seeing to"

"Oh, for goodness sake, Tug!" sneered Munk as he desperately tried to clear the image from his head.

"Hey! Can't go too long without letting a little love out. I might burst! See you later, twat-face!"

"Yeah, see you later" said Munk grimly as he watched his brother go. He was not the brightest bulb in the pack but when it came down to it he was actually quite clear thinking. What he'd said made sense and Munk decided he really had to try and think along those lines from now on. No more conjecture. No more playing devil's advocate. No more letting himself spiral into madness. He had a duty to be the best protector he could be for the tribe and that meant he had to always be on the straight and narrow. That was his task now and he swore to himself that he wouldn't try to do anything else.

* * *

Across rooftops and chimneypots many streets away from the junkyard Macavity and Misto sat snuggled up together keeping each other warm as the chill of the night threatened to nip at them. Macavity had decided to keep things simple on this particular night and since the skies were so clear he thought of nothing better than to sit out with Misto and simply watch them float slowly by. He couldn't deny he had the extra motive of getting to hold him close to keep him warm and as they both looked up he did so with a smile as he felt the smaller tom shift every now and then in his arms to become more comfortable.

One thing was bugging him though and it was the fact that Misto had been quiet all day. He hadn't been very talkative and had been fiddling with the bandages on his paw quite a bit and wincing here and then when he pushed too far. Macavity had neglected to ask him up until now how he'd hurt himself and hadn't even considered the real reason for the wounds. He decided to work it into conversation somehow but first things first: he had to find out what was keeping Misto so silent.

"Are you okay, my darling?" he asked as he rubbed his head against Misto's.

"Yes. Fine"

"Are you sure? It's just that you've been a tad quiet today"

"Sorry"

"Don't be sorry. I was just wondering if you were okay"

"Oh, yes."

"Nothing at all on your mind?"

"Nope"

"Not even some tiny little thing that might be keeping you from being completely here?"

"I…well…nope"

"Well, nope? What does that mean?"

"It means nothing"

"Come now, Misto, there's definitely something going on. Won't you tell me?"

"There's nothing to tell. I promise"

"You promise?"

"Yes"

"A promise is a big thing to make if you're lying"

"I'm not lying"

"Swear on it"

"I swear"

"Swear to me"

"I…I swear…oh, come on…"

"You can't swear to me, can you?"

"Do I need to?"

"No, you don't. It's enough proof for me to know you're not telling the truth"

"I am telling the truth"

"Then swear it to me"

"No"

"There we are then. Come on, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry"

"Come on, Misto, don't shut me out"

"I'm not, it's just…don't worry about it"

"Misto until whatever it is gets sorted out I won't be able to stop worrying that you're not on top form so please tell me what it is. Maybe I can help"

"No, you can't. Don't worry"

"Come on. Is it how you hurt yourself?"

"No. Well, yes, but it's nothing"

"How did you do it?"

"I didn't. Don't worry"

"You mean someone else hurt you?" he said suddenly sitting back and looking at him with a hard stare. How dare someone hurt his Misto!

"No. I mean, yes, but it's really nothing to worry about"

"Who did it?"

"Nobody"

"Misto" Macavity said taking the tux's head in his paws and looking deep into his eyes with a stare that made Misto feel like he was plugging the deepest depths of his soul. It was very exposing and Misto didn't know whether or not he liked the feeling. After a moment he continued, "Who hurt you?"

"Please don't make me say" the tux begged quietly which only made Macavity stare harder. The look seemed to drag the name from Misto's mouth.

"Munk"

Macavity suddenly let him go and looked at him with disbelief.

"Munk?"

"Yes but it was nothing. It was a misunderstanding"

"What exactly happened?"

"Nothing"

"Misto, don't make me force you"

"I'd like to see you try" the tux said before instantly regretting it when Macavity took his head again and glared deep into his eyes. This time it was different and without a doubt he was powerless to stop Macavity pouring his magic into him and hypnotizing him into releasing his deepest, darkest secrets.

"He shot across to me as soon as I got back last night and started screaming. When I wouldn't tell him where I'd been he sunk his claws into me and cut me badly. It was agony"

Straight away Macavity let him go and as soon as he did so Misto felt himself go very dizzy for a moment and almost felt as if he wanted to throw up before he regained control of his own mind. That was certainly a strange experience that he didn't want to repeat anytime soon and once he regained rational thought he looked back up to see Macavity on his paws and looking as if he were practically going to burst into flame.

"That lowlife, evil, mutilating bastard!" Macavity said through clenched teeth as he breathed heavily and flexed his claws, "Who the hell does he think he is?"

Misto simply looked on as his big red tom worked himself into a rage and before he could open his mouth to speak the big cat turned and began storming off towards the edge of the roof. In an instant he jumped off the edge and Misto scrambled to where he'd been to see him standing in the garden below. Nervously he called out to him,

"Macavity? What's wrong? Where are you going?"

The tux felt an icy stab run through him as the red tom turned back and glared up at him with sheer, unadulterated fury. With fire flowing from his very soul Macavity opened his mouth and shouted into the open night sky,

"That wretched bastard hurt you! I'm going to kill him!"

With eyes wide and a shiver suddenly gripping him Misto fearfully called back,

"You're not serious?"

His answer came in the flash that was Macavity darting for the garden fence and flying over it without so much as a backward glance. He meant business and Misto couldn't believe what was going to happen. He knew he had to stop it and so without thinking he ran across the roof and scooted down the drainpipe to the ground where he took off in the same direction.

He only hoped he could catch Macavity before it was too late.

**So, there it is. Was it okay? Should I not have given Munk pretty much an entire chapter? Should I have made him tear a bigger hole in Misto? Let me know in a review if you'd be so kind. Mad loves to HumanGuineapig who is so faithful with leaving them and all my other reviewers who leave one here and there. Knowing that you like the story keeps me writing it and knowing you don't only encourages me to make it better!**

**Thanks for reading! See you in the next chapter! x**


	10. Concussion

**Hello. Remember me? I'm not dead! Yay!**

**Okay, here goes: I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry this took so long and I can't put into words how much I regret not getting this done sooner. It's not just been a few weeks, it's been months since I updated this and I cannot believe I let it get that long.**

**There were reasons though. I've had so much work to do ever since I came back from summer break and since most of it's been computer-based there have been so many days were the last thing I've wanted to do in the evening is sit down and write. That being said, you all deserve better than that and I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner. In addition to that, I always said I would finish this story no matter what so however long it takes please bear with me. I promise I'll finish it!**

**Anyway, hopefully this chapter will make up for it. It's about 19,000 words long so it'll keep you busy for a while and it's finally being pushed up to an M rating. I'll let you read on to see why rather than spill the details although I should probably stick a warning in before we start.**

**Once again, sorry for taking so long. Enjoy the chapter!**

**WARNING: Naughty bits which aren't suitable for kiddies. **

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 10**

**Concussion**

"Ow!" Misto said loudly and rather indignantly as a plastic bag filled with ice was pressed onto the side of his head. "What the hell did you do that for?"

Macavity sighed with a dejected and slightly embarrassed look about him before stooping down beside him and plonking himself on his behind whilst looking on with the same expression.

"You bumped your head," he said quietly.

"Did I?" asked Misto as he tried to pull the icy bag away from the sore spot he could feel behind his left ear only to have Macavity reach up and push it back saying,

"No, no, no. Keep it there. And yes, you did"

"When?"

"Can't you remember?"

"No…" said Misto rather upbeat despite the events that had transpired about fifteen minutes beforehand and rightly so since it seemed he couldn't recall them. That seemed to be Misto in a nutshell: unless he could see any reason not to be then he'd always and forever be quite chipper.

"Okay, well, I'll tell you in a little while. Right now I want to make sure you're alright"

"Why shouldn't I be?" the black and white tom asked pulling the bag away again only to see his sweetheart instantly push it back once more.

"Keep it there. And because, as I said, you bumped your head"

"Well, how?"

"In a moment. Now, do you feel alright apart from that bump? No sickness or blurred vision?"

Misto was quiet for a moment and Macavity could see him looking around briefly before he glanced back and said,

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Do you feel okay?"

"I've got this sting on the back of my head"

"Yes, I know, but do you feel alright otherwise?"

"Umm…yes"

"Are you sure?"

"Well, a little bit sick but not that bad"

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, more or…" said Misto before losing his train of thought once again and glancing away to look at something else. Macavity sighed again and tried to keep from looking too guilty from causing what seemed to be Misto's minor concussion and even though he knew it really had been an accident he couldn't help but feel that if he hadn't flown off the handle then all of this could have been avoided.

"So…where am I?" Misto suddenly asked almost making the bigger tom jump.

"You're in my lair"

"Oh, right…I've been here before, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have."

"That's right. Down there's where we sleep" said Misto gesturing down a passageway before trying to get up only to be held down by the red tom and adjusted once more into keeping the ice against his head.

"Don't get up yet. Just keep sitting for a while"

"Can we at least sit on something comfortable?"

"Only if you can tell me my name"

"Why? Don't you know?"

"Yes, I do. I just want to see if you do"

"Well, of course I do"

"Okay…?"

"It's…" began Misto before pausing and thinking for a moment before carefully saying, "…Macavity"

"Correct" said the bigger tom finding a smile creep onto his face and feeling glad Misto's amnesia seemed to fading quickly. It relieved him to know he hadn't caused any lasting damage to his beau but still made him feel rather silly to think that what had happened to him now was only a side-step from what he'd worked himself up over and had been going to get revenge for. True, he was still livid with Munkustrap for hurting Misto in the first place but it seemed that he'd really have to try and rein in his temper if he was going to prevent himself from causing the black and white tom any further damage – even if he was trying to defend his honour.

The red tom took a moment to scan across Misto's body and smiled a little wider when he found himself tingling slightly from the delight that was Misto's sleek, sultry form. For a cat that had just been sent flying through the air into a crash landing he didn't look all that bad and overall he was glad to know Misto would be back on his paws in no time at all.

"I'm hungry," said Misto after a long silence had been held between them and once again he tried to force himself up from the floor of the bigger tom's den. This time Macavity simply rolled his eyes and jumped up along with him only to support the bag of ice against the smaller tom's head as he wandered off into the lair looking for who-knows-what. Misto limped slightly as he dreamily sauntered on and they only walked a short way before he stopped and turned back to look at Macavity with a curious expression before simply asking,

"We kiss a lot, don't we?"

Macavity chuckled,

"Yes. We certainly do"

"Good" said Misto before throwing his arms around the bigger tom and mashing their lips together in an animalistic fashion. Macavity was stunned and stood stock-still for a second before gently returning the kiss – albeit rather confusedly. A few moments later Misto pulled back and stared at him with lidded eyes that at first glance Macavity didn't notice were not quite matching in their level of concentration. He only became aware that something was wrong when Misto suddenly seemed to go very dizzy and managed to say, "Lovely" before falling backwards in an interestingly melodramatic fashion. Fortunately for the smaller tom Macavity was quick as a whip and caught him in his arms just as he was about to hit the floor. Once again he sighed and simply carried Misto off as he said,

"I think you need a bit more rest, darling"

Misto simply lulled in Macavity's arms as he was carried off to bed and the only sound he made was a gentle humming to himself of a tune that Macavity didn't know. He soon lay Misto down on the bed they shared in his bedchamber and sat on the edge watching him as he slowly rolled his head from side to side.

"Come on, Misto, you have to stay awake"

"Oh, why?" asked Misto with annoyance.

"Because I have to make sure you're alright"

"I'm fine"

"Then prove it to me"

"Oh, Everlasting!" the smaller tom said as he pushed himself up again and tried to get off the bed before being caught by Macavity. Clearly keeping Misto in one place whilst he put his mind back together was going to be harder than he thought.

* * *

About twenty minutes to half an hour later Misto lay peacefully on the bed looking much more with it than he had done a little while ago. By now he was talking as if nothing had happened and his restlessness and irritability left no trace. Macavity had been chatting to him the whole time and was happy to see his Misto getting back to normal. With his regained composure unfortunately came a persistent thumping inside his skull and as Misto tried to fend off the headache that was gripping him he finally started to remember what had given him the bump in the first place.

"I think I can remember what happened now," he said to Macavity whose smile faded a little when he heard those words.

"Right," was all he responded with.

"It's not all there though. Would you fill in the blanks?"

"If you wish"

"Okay, so…" Misto began as he thought back through the previous hour or so, "…I remember you ran off in a funk because of what I said about Munk"

"Yes" replied Macavity grimly, "and by the way, we haven't seen the end of that"

"Oh, will you please let it go?"

"No, Misto. I'm not going to let him get away with it"

"It's not that bad. Everything's fine where it is at the moment; do you really want to ruin it"

"That bandage on your paw is not fine! I'm going to make sure that brute gets what's coming to him"

"Let's discuss it later"

"Fine. Anyway, you were recalling…"

"Yes…"

* * *

Misto practically threw himself down the drainpipe after his furious lover and dashed around the side of the house when he got to the bottom hoping to catch up with the red tom quickly. A second later when he was in the garden he darted his eyes back and forth and it seemed to him as if Macavity had never even been there. Not knowing where he was frightened Misto and he couldn't believe what he'd just heard him say.

What if Macavity did indeed burst into the junkyard and go for Munk? What if he was about to ruin the perfect little scenario Misto had only just managed to set up where Munk thought he was simply going mad? It had seemed as if it were going to work perfectly and through his fear of it all being undone Misto felt tears begin to push at the back of his eyes. He didn't have time to cry now though, there was too much at stake and so he violently shook his head to rid himself of the panic that welled up inside him and pressed on.

In a flash the black and white tome darted over the fence Macavity had shortly disappeared over and once again there was no sign of him. Misto firmly sucked the cool air in through his nose and straight away was onto the bigger tom's scent. In an instant he was off following his trail as quickly as he could and it wasn't long before he started seeing evidence of the bigger tom venting his rage on what was around him. Every few metres lay a pile of rubble or a destroyed garden artefact that he knew the red tom had created moments beforehand and Misto hoped against hope that he'd let out all of his anger in that way before he reached the junkyard.

Around a few more corners he flew without anything else in the world to care for but stopping the angry cat charging some way ahead of him and as he ricocheted himself off a streetlamp and around one more turn he finally laid eyes on who he was following.

"Macavity!" he yelled as he watched the bigger tom rip a rather large shrub out of the ground and throw it to land a remarkable distance away where it instantly burst into flames. He hadn't heard Misto through his fury and once again took off in the direction of the junkyard which Misto could see was getting close.

Fortunately, Misto now had sight of Macavity as he quickly followed in hope of catching him. Unfortunately, Macavity was simply too quick to be caught by the smaller tom that followed and as he darted across another garden and along the side of a hedgerow Misto suddenly recognized that he was only about thirty seconds away from reaching the junkyard.

Misto didn't know what to do and was panicking by now. Everything was about to unfold and his life would quite literally be ruined.

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" he yammered in quick succession as he panicked and desperately thought for what he could do. In a flash decision Misto stopped dead, slammed his paws together and disappeared in a puff of sparks.

In an instant he reappeared about two feet in front of Macavity. All he had time to do was to quickly think _'Uh oh' _before the charging bull that was the bigger tom ploughed into him at full speed and quite literally catapulted him off of the ground into the air.

* * *

Seeing that huge, red mass of perfectly formed muscle flying at him was a sight Misto would never forget unlike the events which occurred immediately afterwards.

"That's all I can remember" Misto said as he looked up to his now embarrassed and very remorseful looking tom.

"I am sorry about all of that"

"How were you to know?"

"Still, if I'd been a bit less blinded with anger I might have been able to stop"

"Well, it's okay. No harm done"

"Apart from your memory blank, that is"

"Yes…" said Misto with a smile, "…so, if you'd be so kind"

"Okay…"

* * *

Misto barely had time to understand what was going on as he sailed through the air towards his landing spot. The sheer force of Macavity crashing into him had knocked him senseless so in a way it was quite fortunate that he didn't have to experience the horrible impact he was about to endure.

An unfortunately placed rock at the side of the hedgerow where Macavity braked and Misto flew became closer and closer to the black and white tom's head as he carried on in his trajectory. Perhaps if Misto had appeared only a few centimetres further in front of Macavity he may have been able to avoid what was coming but sadly, no.

Macavity instantly ground to a halt as soon as he collided with whatever it was he had just hit and with only a second to realise it was Misto flying away from him so did he see the smaller tom's head crack against the poorly placed rock – and what an impact it was.

* * *

"And that's what happened" said Macavity grimly with his whole body looking quite slumped as he sat on the bed in front of Misto.

"Really?" said the smaller tom with intrigue, "Then what happened?"

Macavity sighed,

"You were out for a few moments while I panicked and prayed you weren't dead but then you came around. Hazily."

"I see. So, then you brought me back here?"

"After reassuring myself you were alive and kissing you frantically all over your face, yes."

"Kissing me frantically?" Misto giggled

"I was so happy I hadn't killed you I couldn't stop myself."

"Well, if it's all the same: I'm glad too"

Macavity smiled weakly,

"I really am sorry"

"It's okay. As I said, how could you have known?"

"No, I mean about exploding. Hearing your side of it… I suppose I could have wrecked everything"

"Oh, right…"

"So, once again: I'm really sorry. I'll try not to let my temper get the better of me again"

"Oh, you silly kitty" said Misto leaning up to try and kiss him but then stopping himself quickly and gripping his head.

"Misto?" said Macavity with a sudden flash of worry.

"No, it's fine. It's just the bump"

Macavity pulled himself up along Misto's side and lay back down with him before kissing his cheek softly.

"I'll make sure you're okay, darling. I promise"

"Thank you" said Misto before kissing him back.

* * *

Night had descended as it did all the more quickly in recent weeks and accompanying it was a stronger chill that was all to be expected for the time of year. Across the streets of suburban London away from where Misto and Macavity were nestled and passing the trail of destruction Macavity had left earlier on, the Jellicle junkyard lay in its place and as usual the night signalled the beginning of many a cat coming to life. This night was much like the others with everyone falling into their daily – or rather nightly – routine with queens here, toms there and kittens everywhere although the latter were a little less so this evening. Jenny, in her infinite motherly tyranny, had decided this would be a good evening to implement her new idea for keeping the kittens warm on nights as cool as this and as such not a single kitten could be found without some kind of knitted article wrapping them up more tightly than what was surely comfortable. Up on the periphery of the junk outside her den the tabby queen stood with her arms crossed and a smile on her face as she observed what she considered a roaring success and from seeing the adoring smiles and hearing the private sniggering of everybody else she couldn't find reason to think otherwise. The kittens, however, did not seem to share her enthusiasm and complained loudly into the night as their actions were restricted by the woollen straightjackets they had been forced into. All in all it was a quite a sight to behold and was wonderful entertainment for everyone who hadn't been forced into Jenny's experiment. That was, everyone who wasn't Victoria and Jemima who lay sprawled out on the junk at the opposite side of the clearing and stared up at the stars through their foggy breath in the air.

"What do you wanna do?" asked the white queen to her satin-coloured companion who lazily replied,

"I dunno. What do you wanna do?"

"I dunno"

There was a short silence between them before Victoria spoke with a little frustration,

"Where's Misto?"

"I dunno"

"It's so boring when he's not here"

"We get by without him most of the time"

"Yeah, but knowing he's gone makes it boring"

"We haven't been hanging out with him much recently. He's always sleeping at night"

"I know but at least then I know where he is. Knowing he's not here stops me from thinking of things to do"

"Why?"

"I dunno"

"That's weird" Jemima said uninterestedly.

"Meh…" was Victoria's reply as they once again did not speak for a while. Only the sounds of the evening provided them with some kind of signal that there were things going on around them and kept them awake and it was that very dreary, semi-conscious state that maintained Jemima's mind long enough to eventually make her ask once more,

"So, what do you wanna do?"

Victoria sighed melodramatically and rolled away without responding giving the slightly smaller queen her answer leaving her to finally suggest something that might get them off of the junk pile they lounged upon.

"Wanna go through Misto's stuff?"

Victoria closed her eyes and remained still. Ordinarily she'd find herself intrigued by the idea and torn ferociously between wanting to do it and knowing she shouldn't. On the on paw she knew Misto would never allow them to paw through his possessions since he kept things far too neat to have them messed up and this only made her want to rummage more. On the other paw she liked and respected her brother too much to invade his privacy and as such her scruples would tell her not to. Still, as uninterested with life as she seemed to be at that moment something deep within her was screaming that it was too good an opportunity to pass up and so with a heave and a rather unladylike groan she sat up and simply said,

"Alright"

The two of them then lazily got up and began to make their way across the clearing to paw through Misto's bits and bobs and had it not been for their massive disinterest in anything and everything that evening they most certainly would have been fantastically excited. In a way it seemed that without the possibility of being caught going through the tidiest and strangest cat in existence's possessions was nowhere near as fun. Still, for now it would have to do.

* * *

"Does it feel better now?" Macavity asked as tenderly as he could as he gently manipulated Misto's sprained ankle.

"Maybe a bit" the black and white tom said quietly with a cringe here and there.

"Let me know if it hurts too much" the bigger tom said as moved his paws to a slightly different position and looked back down at his work. He wouldn't say but he didn't really know what he was doing and knew that despite something in his mind that said he was helping he knew in reality he was only doing it to be proactive. He didn't want to simply sit there and watch Misto rest, he wanted to fix what he'd done despite there not really being anything he could do. Still, it meant he got to feel up his tom a little bit regardless of it being on a strange part of his body for that purpose. Even so, Misto did have very shapely, nicely formed legs that lead down to sweet, pretty paws and Macavity could feel it was all deceptively strong which pleased him greatly somewhere in the pit of his stomach. It reminded him of how beautiful the black and white tom really was and to look at that beauty from this angle was simply a new way of appreciating him as well as knocking him six ways from Sunday in terms of besottedness.

"Your paws feel cold" he said a moment or two later when his appreciative daze dipped, "do you want me to get something for them?"

"Like what? Socks?" Misto asked cheekily but with a genuine hint of intrigue.

"If you want them. I was thinking more of a hot water bottle"

"So, I'll have ice on my head and heat on my paws. The only place I'll balance out is in the middle"

"Well, maybe that was my plan all along. I don't mind feeling you up there"

"I know you don't."

"Would you object at all to me wrapping myself around your middle?"

"Not at all. In fact, the more you want to wrap yourself around me the better"

"Well, play your cards right and you might just get your way"

"I can't wait," said Misto as their eyes met and Macavity stopped his gentle rubbing. The two stared at each other with exactly the same thing on their minds but with the same anxious reservation about stating it. It was a topic they had never discussed before but mainly due to never having the need. So far their romantic fumbling had only extended to stuffing their tongues down each other's throats and running their hands into every nook and cranny upon each other's body they could find - that is, everywhere except those very special areas whilst making sure to come very close. They had both certainly thought about it an awful lot and it certainly seemed like something they ought to be doing at this point in their relationship. There was simply something unspoken that had been stopping though them and maintaining the perfect little status quo they had achieved. Yes, they flirted and hinted to each other outrageously but it was only now they had actually paused and established some kind of acknowledgement to each their of their mutual, growing needs. To Macavity, these feelings were both old and new. In his past he'd extensively explored his desires and sexual prowess with many, many different toms and queens but with Misto the feeling surrounding it all it seemed to be so much more powerful and special. It was new and exciting and as if he were exploring it for the first time once again and to think that he could do with Misto the things he knew he enjoyed very much and was very good at opened up a new world of excitement that he had to quell with incredible willpower in order to prevent it showing on the outside. To think of Misto dirtily was almost taboo but that was what made it so delicious and exhilarating.

To Misto, everything was new – from an emotional standpoint - and as such he found it all fantastically stirring. It pushed him right to the edge of bursting out with it and yelling to high Heaviside what he wanted Macavity to do to him but his juvenile anxiousness reined it back in like putting a tiger in a cage. It was true he was no expert at this game and wouldn't really know what to do if it came to it but he didn't care. He wanted to become exceedingly intimate with Macavity and it seemed like crossing that boundary was the perfect way to go about it. If only he knew how to put it out there plainly and simply.

A second or two of awkward staring made the pair blush and then break their gaze like two embarrassed kittens before Macavity resumed his massage on Misto's leg and Misto glanced to the side whilst trying not to let his humiliation show through. How could it be they could flirt with one another and say such things that were only thinly veiled from talking about sex outright and then recoil shyly trying not to die from embarrassment when they did finally test the waters? It was insane and they both clearly knew it and as the long seconds of silence ticked on they felt their silly reservations start to eat away at them only making the situation more awkward.

Misto flicked his eyes up when he felt Macavity stop once again and waited a moment or two for the red tom to meet his gaze. To see Macavity looking so perplexed and anxious was a strange sight for Misto but it felt gratifying in a way to see his tom for once to be stuck for words. He could practically see Macavity gearing himself up for his next question and if courage were visible to the naked eye then he most certainly would have seen it building in Macavity like hot air in a balloon.

"Misto…" Macavity began before pausing and drawing in his lips for a moment, "…Misto…I…"

"Yes…?" the black and white tom asked hopefully. Macavity took a deep breath,

"Misto…do you think…I mean, would you like if…I don't know…if maybe we could…err…"

He darted his eyes quickly backwards and forwards and found that he'd never felt more embarrassed in his life - a strange feeling for him. He'd never had any trouble getting this kind of message across before and he prided himself on being a master of seduction and artist of smooth talking. With Misto, though, it felt so much stranger; as if he were putting his dignity and reputation on the line as he asked for something he hoped so desperately the smaller tom would agree to give him. He wanted Misto but not so much in the way of heated, lustful hunger as in the loving, tender and passionate yearning he held for him in his heart and it was almost as if he were terrified that the smaller tom would say no to his tentative yet hopeful advances.

In fact, there was no 'almost' about it: he was definitely terrified and had no idea what he'd do if it did come to that. His sensibility told him that expecting such a thing would be silly but because Misto was so special to him he just didn't understand how he couldn't worry about it. It seemed disrespectful in a way to this beautiful, astounding cat in front of him and as he took in the black and white tom's magnificent beauty he realised that for the first time he was going to ask to express to him his innermost feelings and become much closer to him than he had to anyone ever before. He was going to ask to make love to Misto and not simply have sex; it was a frightening concept and one that unnerved him more than anything else mainly because it meant exposing a part of himself that he'd never exposed to anyone ever before. That part of him was his heart and for years he'd denied even to himself that he had one. He'd always managed to get by in life by taking what he wanted and shielding everything that was the real him behind an iron curtain of mystery, trickery and fearsomeness. To let somebody past that shield worried him down to his very core but for some reason he knew in his now very real heart that he wanted Misto to know him in that way.

"Darling?" Misto asked suddenly pulling Macavity out of his inner turmoil, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I…I was just thinking about something"

"Oh. Well, alright"

"Yes" Macavity said before desperately trying to steady his nerves once more, "Okay…here goes. Misto…would you…I mean, we've been playing around with each other for a while now and…well…I was wondering if maybe you'd like to…stop playing around"

Misto's expression became one of deep confusion for a moment before saying, "Um…"

"What I mean is" the red tom cut in as he saw his love's face, "would you like to…take it further?"

"You mean…?" the smaller tom said quietly with his heart beginning to race and his breathing picking up.

"I…uh…" said Macavity with an uncharacteristic look of awkwardness and discomfort and perhaps the most unusual thing of all: fear.

"Sex?" Misto finally asked.

"Yes" was his quiet reply before gulping hard and trying to still his own thumping heart.

"Oh…wow…" said Misto dipping his eyes and wondering if he'd heard Macavity correctly. Of course the red tom had said what Misto thought he'd said, it was clear as day and yet his mind made him second-guess himself. What Macavity had asked, Misto, in any normal state of mind could have seen coming a mile off. However, this strange, juvenile energy that seemed to be surrounding them and making them act like kittens was throwing his mind right off track and leaving him looking terribly foolish.

Unfortunately for Macavity, the gap Misto left as he thought instantly made him think he'd said something he really shouldn't have and suddenly it seemed as if shame and humiliation were raining down upon him for even thinking for one moment he might be able to let someone in. Without thinking he dropped Misto's paw and jumped off of the bed before beginning to walk away in terrible embarrassment.

"Forget I said anything. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked" he said rapidly before trying to leave. He was startled when he felt Misto's paw touch his arm and turned around to see the smaller tom out of bed and looking up at him with a look of genuine wonder in his eyes. He wondered how he hadn't heard the smaller tom jump across to him so quickly without hearing him but that wonder was quickly dispelled as he gazed into those bedazzling, wondrous eyes. Those clear, bewitching blues that stared back at him bore deep into his soul and it seemed that in that moment as they looked at one another that nothing more needed to be said on the matter. They both wanted each other with an amazing fierceness but it was a tenderness that existed between them that got rid of any meaningless, animal instinct to the process and stopped them from throwing themselves at each other.

Gently, Misto lifted up his other paw, reached around Macavity and turned his body so he was facing him and then simply stood there for a moment taking in his magnificence. Every time he took in the sight of the strong, sculpted form of Macavity he felt a stirring deep inside him that now seemed to be more of a rumbling, booming explosion of desire as he anticipated what was about to happen. Similarly in Macavity there was a wonderful internal release of tension that left him unable to think of anything else but the sublimeness of Misto without even any space to wonder how this one little cat could capture his thoughts and his heart and leave him totally subject to his mercy. It wasn't just his beauty though; it was so much more than that. Misto filled a hole in his life that he hadn't even known had existed up until they'd met and now when they were parted it felt like he left that part of himself behind with the smaller tom. Misto truly made him happy and still, as he looked down upon his perfect face, he felt a true ecstasy enter his heart.

Normally such a feeling might scare him off; after all he wasn't stupid and knew what such a strange, warm sensation meant. He'd always promised himself to steer clear of feeling that way about another cat as he knew he'd lose himself forever. For some reason that he didn't understand though he just couldn't care about it anymore. He wanted to break that promise for Misto and nothing felt more right. He knew he should be scared about admitting it to himself but in that moment it just seemed so right. Through the quickly fading wasteland of confusion and desperation he'd held for so long inside him he could see a truth shining through it all that welcomed him into a new world of happiness and warmth. Without holding back through fear or uncertainty he let down the barrier to his heart he'd kept locked and bolted for his whole life and admitted to himself what he knew was the strongest truth he'd ever known. He was in love with Misto and he'd never felt more complete.

"Misto…" he said breathily as he realised the air had been knocked out of him.

"Shh…" said the smaller tom as he placed a finger to Macavity's lips.

Macavity didn't need any other sign, he knew what they both wanted and gently pulled Misto close before reaching down and pressing their lips together in the sweetest, softest, most tender kiss he could manage. It was bliss and as they poured out their feelings for each other they simply let passion consume them and take over.

Before long, Macavity bent down and lifted Misto up before wrapping the smaller cat's legs around his waist, carrying him back over to the bed and climbing on top of him as he lay him down. Misto became utterly absorbed by the feeling of Macavity's perfect, muscular body pressing him down into the soft sheets below and as the bigger tom worked magic with his tongue he ran his paws over his back feeling every firm rise and fall of his form. With every passing second he reached further and further down feeling Macavity's body move on top of him and as he allowed desire to consume him more and more he slid one of his paws down on Macavity's rear and grasped the tough flesh which resided there. Surprisingly he heard the bigger tom moan as he grabbed him but he knew it was well received when he felt his strong arms snake further around his body and hold him more tightly.

Macavity marvelled at Misto's grace even at a time like this and knew that it must have been innate. He knew Misto hadn't done this before and was far too innocent to have had such a previous experience and it was that thought that helped Macavity to lose himself even further. To feel Misto's body respond so naturally to his touch was heaven and it made the newfound love he had for him bloom inside. Misto was perfect and he made him perfect. They simply seemed to fit each another and must have been the luckiest cats on earth to have found one another.

Macavity's paws began to roam as he continued to kiss Misto and just as the smaller tom did, explored the contours of the others sweeping curves. Sensing Misto was nervous about pushing his luck, Macavity decided to take the lead and brought one of his paws around to feel where their bodies pressed together. Bringing his legs up a little higher on either side of Misto he lifted some of his weight off of the smaller tom and began to rub at his naval making him breath faster. He took it as a good sign and, without forgetting his masterful touch, inched slowly downwards to the region he hadn't allowed himself to explore before. Misto's heart pounded ever more violently as he felt that strong paw move towards his most sensitive area and couldn't believe the sense of anticipation that built up inside as he waited for Macavity's paw to caress him. The red tom could feel the smaller tom's tension and lingered just long enough to heighten Misto's excitement as much as possible before reaching down. After a few seconds he could feel that Misto could barely handle any more and so, in one firm motion, ran his paw down over Misto's hardened arousal.

Misto gasped and his eyes shot open as he felt Macavity touch him so expertly down there and even let a little whimper of pleasure escape his lips as the two of them parted momentarily. He didn't know how Macavity did it but simply his touch was enough to drive him crazy and in a flurry of excitement and sensual ignorance brought his own paw around and stuffed it down onto Macavity's privates.

In an instant his emotions completely changed and what had only moments before been occupied by passion was now replaced with astonishment. He had always seen that Macavity was a sizeable cat but he supposed he'd only ever concentrated on his height, muscles, appearance as well as things along those lines. It was only now that he realised he'd never pondered that much on the size of Macavity's manhood and as such was bombarded with sheer amazement as he rested his paw upon it. Needless to say, Macavity was absolutely enormous.

"Everlasting Cat!" Misto exclaimed breathily as he propped his head up and looked down between their bodies to where their hips grinded together.

"What? What is it?" Macavity suddenly asked worriedly as he halted his fervent kisses.

"You're…you're huge" was all Misto managed to say as he lay underneath the tom who Misto now could see was big in every conceivable manner. Macavity felt a proud smile creep onto his face and coyly replied with,

"Oh, you think so?"

Misto met his gaze with marvel,

"You bet your arse, I do! How is it…you know…going to…?"

Macavity was quiet for a moment before he cottoned onto what Misto seemed to be worried about,

"Fit?"

"Yes"

"You let me worry about that," Macavity said before trying to resume his kissing.

"Will it hurt though?" Misto suddenly asked. The bigger tom looked down at his beautiful face as he stared up and could see he was worried and so with a reassuring look caressed his face and spoke softly to soothe him,

"It's going to be wonderful. You'll see"

"Okay" whispered Misto and he didn't say anything else. He simply let Macavity begin kissing him again and after a few moments his fear died away. He trusted Macavity completely and continued to let him work his magic.

Before long the bigger tom could feel Misto getting more and more excited and as his body responded to his firm, carnal touches Macavity couldn't wait any longer. Shaking off some of his gentleness he pulled his paws away from Misto's groin and moved them onto his knees which he hooked his arms around and carefully bent before pushing them up his body to expose him almost shamefully. Taking a moment to take in not only how beautiful Misto was but also how incredibly sexy he appeared Macavity almost felt himself lose all control there and then. To see his Misto laying back like that and showing everything off drove the red tom crazy and all he could feel radiating from the smaller was that he needed him now.

That wasn't entirely true though, there was one other thing and it was really quite strong. That wonderful, magical feeling they shared whenever they were together was so hot and strong inside him at that moment and he knew Misto felt the same. It was powerful and burning and mystical all rolled into one and Macavity knew it had to mean that what they were doing was right. It filled him up right to the brim and made him feel so perfect inside that it couldn't mean anything else and he quite simply couldn't wait any longer.

Without waiting he once again lay himself down on top of Misto but this time expertly nudged his hips between Misto's outstretched legs which he then wrapped behind his back. He kissed Misto again almost desperately and tried to control his heavy breathing as he anticipated his next action and began to reach down to move himself into position.

"Misto" he whispered to the perfect little black and white tom underneath him and he felt his heart flutter as that same tom held onto him tightly and clamped his legs down against his hips pressing them together. Every other second or so he felt a small shiver run through Misto but he could tell it was his body begging for him. With his paw in place and holding himself firmly he began to position his hips forward and lined himself up to push into the smaller cat underneath. Misto gasped as he felt Macavity press against him and then breathed in sharply before letting out a quick but loud yelp as he penetrated him for the first time. Macavity stopped and the two remained still as Misto slowly adjusted to the part of the bigger tom entering him and began to vocalize each breath as he attempted to will his body to accept the massive organ. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before and he simply couldn't describe the feeling of it as the sensation of sex charged through his body like electricity. It was amazing and frightening and fantastic all at the same time and despite how strange and almost alien it felt to have Macavity inside he knew as the seconds ticked by that he desperately wanted more.

Macavity kissed him tenderly once again and when he felt Misto's nervous tension let up he gently began to press in again – this time feeling Misto's body welcome him. The feeling was truly out of this world and Macavity felt his mind spin as he felt the smaller tom caress his most sensitive area so perfectly. It was almost as if they had been made to fit one another and throughout his entire life he knew he'd never met another cat that felt so wonderful to make love to.

It took a while for Misto to properly adjust to Macavity's giant member but it wasn't long until the fluid motions of sex began to take them both over and wrap them up in a world of passion and desire. Together they opened themselves up completely and let each other swim in each other's body without hesitation or reservation. Meeting no resistance from each other they marvelled at how wonderfully their lovemaking just seemed to happen and after what could have been minutes or hours they both reached their spectacular climaxes together. Macavity had nearly lost himself in Misto's fantastic body but he still managed to make sure they reached the pinnacle of their intimacy together and the sheer magnitude of the orgasm they shared rattled them both down to their very cores and made them cry out. Neither one had felt anything like the surge of energy that rushed through them both and for just one brief moment it felt almost as if they had left their bodies and were floating somewhere miles above with nothing but each other in their own little world of magic.

When it was over Macavity collapsed on top of Misto and together they panted ferociously while basking in the perfect memory and sensation of what they'd just done. Neither one could make words even if they had tried and as seconds began to turn into minutes they stayed together and swam in the amazing feeling which wrapped them both up and suspended them in pure bliss.

* * *

Time was fluid as the night progressed and the dimmed light and collected heat in Macavity's secluded bedchamber was enough to maintain a dreamlike atmosphere for both he and Misto. For a while Misto began to wonder in his dazed, sleepy state if he was in a dream whilst he lay in the warm, comforting arms of his lover and gazed through lidded eyes up at the ceiling of the den playing what they'd done together over and over again in his mind. He could still feel a buzz of that magical feeling they had shared at the height of their passion and as it shifted and flowed in his body he wondered what kind of amazing being this really was that held him in his arms. Macavity seemed different now but strangely enough he also felt the same and it puzzled Misto as to what it all meant as he rested his head on the bigger tom's bicep. It wasn't a bad feeling, it was actually quite the opposite. Macavity no longer seemed anywhere nearly as mysterious and it felt, for some strange reason, as if he were much more familiar. Misto didn't know why he felt so strongly for the latter, he just knew he did and what he found above all else was that he loved it. It was as if he suddenly knew Macavity so much more and to feel so close to him filled up a space inside that had been there for a long time and had been longing to be filled. It was the part of him that needed for somebody else to truly understand him and know the cat that he had always found impossible to present to anyone. Not through lack of wishing and trying, just through having no ability or knowhow to do so. Now it seemed Macavity had seen him for whom he truly was and adored him for that. Misto rejoiced in that knowledge. He exalted that feeling in his heart and knew that what he felt now he could never let go. He'd found the cat he'd needed for so long and knew there could never be another like Macavity.

A while later Macavity opened his eyes from his post-coital nap and looked down at the cat in his arms. Misto was so soft and sweet and Macavity smiled as he felt the gentle rise and fall of the smaller tom's breathing. Misto was perfect and that moment was perfect. He wondered for a moment if it could all be real and as he continued to hold Misto tenderly he knew it had to be happening. Life rarely felt this good – at least not his life - and it was truly a moment to treasure.

Eventually, the bigger tom began to gently rub Misto's fur to stir him and after a few moments the smaller tom turned his head and met the eyes of his magnificent lover. He smiled up sweetly for a moment or two before resting his head against Macavity's chest and purring softly as he enjoyed his comfort and warmth.

"Hi" was all Macavity could think to say as they gazed at each other and even though he might have thought it was stupid he found the moment was too wonderful to be ruined by anything – least of all silly words.

"Hi" Misto responded in the same way.

"How are you feeling?"

Misto sighed happily,

"Wonderful"

"Me too. That was just incredible"

"I'm sure you must have had better," Misto said softly with another smile making Macavity chuckle.

"Nope. You're the best"

"You don't have to say it for my sake"

"Well, I promise you that you were the best"

"Really?"

"Really."

Misto closed his eyes and carried on smiling happily.

"I guess I'm more talented than I thought"

Macavity chuckled again,

"'Pure natural' talent seems to be you in a nutshell"

"Ah. Don't oversell me"

"How could I possibly oversell you?"

"I can't be as special as you think"

"Oh yes, you are"

"No, I'm not"

"Yes, you are"

"No, I'm not"

"You are, you are, you are and that's all there is to it"

"Okay, well, maybe a little"

"See? You're perfect in every way and you're all mine"

"All yours?"

"Yes. No one else can have any, I want to keep you all for myself"

"Isn't that greedy?"

"Yes, but I don't care"

"Okay" said Misto before rising up along Macavity's body and kissing him softly and saying, "then neither do I"

Macavity ran his paws up along Misto and held him gently as he looked at his perfect face for a long, drawn out moment and then saying,

"Everlasting, you're so beautiful. How can it possibly be?"

"Natural talent?" Misto said cheekily but softly and making Macavity laugh.

"It must be," he said before rolling Misto over and resting on top of him and kissing him once more. "So, how was it for you?"

"It was fantastic" Misto said smiling.

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah. I've never felt anything like it"

"Well, get used to it because we'll certainly be doing it a whole lot more"

"I won't say no," said Misto before they kissed again.

"So, all in all a good first time?"

"Brilliant first time doing that"

Macavity smiled but then paused for a moment as he thought about Misto's words. They seemed innocent enough but for some reason there was something about the way Misto put a tiny bit of emphasis on the last word that made him think and as the thought in his mind began to snowball he wondered if there was a little more to it. After a few seconds he made sure not to look at all intimidating and then gently started to probe a little further – he'd soon find he was opening a can of worms for himself.

"For that?" he asked mildly.

"Yep. I've never done that before and it was brilliant. Is it always like that?"

"Have you done anything before?" Macavity asked dodging his question.

"Well, you know, not much. That was really, really great though"

"So…you're not…I mean, you weren't a…you know, a…"

"Virgin? Oh yes, no worries there" Misto said beginning to wonder where Macavity was going and feeling the magical feeling inside begin to ebb away.

"But you have done…something…before"

"Well, I suppose, but nothing like that"

Macavity rose up and moved off of Misto who scooted up on the bed and sat in front of the bigger tom who looked at him with a more intense look than he would have liked at that moment.

"What have you done then? I thought you'd never done anything at all before. I thought that was what made it so…special"

"It was special. It was amazing," said Misto hoping Macavity still felt the same way, "No one's ever made me feel so good"

"Well, I don't understand, Misto. You said it was all new to you but then you say you've done something like it before. What precisely have you been up to?"

"I haven't been up to anything. It was just once and it was nothing"

"Well, it happened and so that certainly makes it something. Can't you tell me about it?"

"I'd prefer not to"

"Please, Misto. I'm sure you know I've got a reputation, I want to know about yours if you have one"

"I do not have a reputation," said Misto rather indignantly making Macavity regret his words.

"No, I mean…I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I just want to know…well, what you've done"

"Does it really matter?"

"Come on, Misto, you remember what happened the last time we did this back and forth thing. You ended up with that bump on your head"

"Well…" Misto said before pausing and then sighing, "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes"

Misto sighed again making Macavity feel a little sorry for him.

"Come on, Misto, I won't mind" he said pulling him close and holding him, "It's only out of curiosity"

"Okay" Misto said as he nuzzled into his fur, "Well, it was only once and it was last year. I was younger and had questions about…that side of life and there was someone who was putting the moves on me"

"A tom?" Macavity asked.

"Yes"

"Well, I suppose that's a relief" Macavity chuckled.

"Yeah, well, anyway, he came into my den one evening and I suppose one thing led to another and…"

"You slept together?"

"No! Everlasting, no. I just, well, I didn't really know what I was doing but he told me what to do and…well…"

"It's okay, I won't judge you"

"…I got down on my knees…"

Macavity's eyes opened up wider and a surprised but sly smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as he suddenly understood what Misto was having so much trouble trying to get out.

"Oh, Misto" he said with a strong sound of intrigue and menace in his voice, "you're naughtier than I thought"

Misto buried his head and moaned loudly,

"No, no, no, I was only experimenting and I'm sure I was rubbish at it"

"Did he enjoy it?"

"Who?"

"The cat to whom you were giving this blowjob"

Misto cringed as Macavity said the word 'blowjob' and it made the bigger tom laugh as he did so.

"He seemed to" Misto eventually replied, "although it wasn't much fun for me"

"You mean he didn't reciprocate?"

"No. He left when we'd…he'd finished and I didn't find it at all very fun"

Macavity chuckled again and shook his head,

"Who'd have thought it? My little Misto playing the good-time tom"

"Shut up" said Misto swatting him playfully, "If I'd known what was going on I wouldn't have done it"

"Well, I say well done for exploring your urges and thank you for saving the best for me"

"You're welcome" Misto said a little awkwardly but relieved Macavity wasn't upset about him having had prior experience – however tiny.

"So who was this lucky but apparently selfish tom?"

"Tugger" Misto said casually before instantly regretting revealing the name of that cat he'd pleasured. Straight away he felt Macavity go stiff and when he turned his head upwards he was met with a disbelieving, almost sickened stare.

"Tugger?" Macavity almost spat.

"Yes" Misto whimpered

"Oh, Everlasting Cat!" Macavity groaned as he let him go and moved to side of the bed to put his face in his paws. "Oh, Misto, really? You sucked off that sleazebag?"

Misto felt as if he were getting smaller and smaller by the second as he felt Macavity's disappointment hit him and he tried to think of something to say to alleviate that anguish he seemed to have just inflicted on the red tom.

"I…I didn't know what I was doing"

"But that fact is you did it, didn't you?" said Macavity as he pushed himself up and wandered away with his back turned.

"If I could take it back I would"

"Of all the toms in the world, Misto, you had to give in to him? You must have known what a disgusting tom-whore he was. Is. Will always be"

"He was…very persuasive" Misto said meekly and feeling like dirt.

"Oh, I bet he was. Oh, Everlasting Cat!" Macavity groaned as he tried to process the idea of Misto being taken advantage of.

"Have I…ruined everything?" Misto asked feeling horribly uncertain and ashamed inside. Macavity just looked up at the ceiling and groaned again as he listened to Misto's nervous, quiet voice. He could tell Misto felt horrible and he felt horrible for making him feel that way. Really he hadn't done anything – after all, Macavity couldn't acceptably be angry with him in hindsight - and he shouldn't have been blaming him for something that happened ages and ages before they'd even met. Still, it was Tugger and to think of his stupid, vile brother taking advantage of and enjoying the cat he adored so much just made everything seem so filthy. It was like Tugger had made Misto dirty by seducing him into doing what he'd done and Macavity didn't like it one bit. He'd only just realised that he'd fallen head over heels in love with Misto and now it really did seem too good to be true.

He knew he shouldn't have done it but instead of turning around and talking to Misto he slowly began to pace out of his bedchamber leaving Misto with one quick thought,

"I'm going to get some air"

As Misto watched the last flash of red fur disappear from view he wondered if everything had just fallen apart and couldn't believe that he'd seemingly made Macavity lose his desire for him. It was all so confusing and he didn't know how he was supposed to react. Macavity couldn't really be that mad with him, could he?

Misto lay back down on the bed and remained silent for a while as he tried to think things through. He wished so very hard that any moment he'd see his big, red tom come back and tell him everything was alright but alas, there was nothing. He'd been left alone and he really didn't know whose court the ball was in to try to fix the issue he supposed he'd unwittingly and foolishly created.

* * *

Carefully, Gilbert manoeuvred his side of a crystal decanter along with another henchcat as they poured some of its contents into a thimble. The rich, alluring tincture of the well-aged brandy appealed to him greatly but he'd never dare take any for himself. It was his master's and he'd never dream of taking advantage of his kindness – or whatever it was that made the red tom treat him so well. In any case, he didn't waste time in placing the thimble on a small, silver tray and carrying it quickly to his master who had perched himself on the roof in one of his usual positions for musing.

When he arrived he found him just as he expected sitting on the chimneypot and staring up at the moon without moving and not even making a sound. Carefully he paced across the tiles and steadied the thimble he carried as he ascended the chimney and cleared his throat gently to alert his master to his presence – not that Macavity hadn't known he was coming.

"Thank you, Gilbert" Macavity grumbled as he reached around and grabbed the brandy he'd asked for without turning his head to guide his paw. Without wasting any time he knocked it back in one and placed it back on the tray the small, black cat held before saying, "Another"

"Yes, Sir" Gilbert obediently said before turning back and groaning internally that he'd now have to go back and repeat the cumbersome process.

"Make it a double" the red tom said as his servant climbed away and before Gilbert could reply cut in again, "Oh, and Gilbert, have you seen anything of Misto?"

"No, sir" the black tom said as he straightened himself up, "Would you like me to check in on him?"

Macavity was quiet for a moment and then said, "Yes. I mean, no. Wait, no…yes. Oh…I don't know. If you must…". He then dipped his head and firmly ground his fist against his forehead showing his internal struggle outwardly and sighing loudly with great frustration. Gilbert watched as he did so and thought for a moment before bravely speaking up – an action that was rather out of the ordinary for him and one that instantly instilled a sense of nervousness throughout his body,

"Is…anything the matter, sir?"

"Yes, Gilbert there is, but it's nothing that need concern you"

"Very good, sir" he said before turning and going to retrieve his master's drink. That is, he would have done had Macavity not stopped him once again,

"Am I being a fool, Gilbert?"

"I beg your pardon, sir?"

"Am I being a fool for reacting like this?"

"I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean, sir"

"For being annoyed with Misto"

"Again, sir, I'm not sure-"

"For being annoyed over something he did before we met but that's still something that really digs at me"

"Oh. Is it something he did to you, sir?"

"No, of course not"

"Is it something that affects you, sir?"

"…Not really" Macavity said after a pause and then saying with reservation, "it still annoys me though"

"Did he do it with forethought, sir?"

"No. More with naivety"

Gilbert paused and thought carefully about what he wanted to reply with. On the one paw he clearly had an answer that made perfect sense which, knowing from experience, is what his master preferred. On the other paw he never knew how well any answer he gave might be received. Macavity was, as all the tales told, a mysterious cat and not one to follow regular patterns of behaviour. Some might say it was genius and others utter lunacy but whatever it was it seemed to be the product of sheer, unmatched intelligence that apparently provided him with light speed thought. As such, it meant he was completely unpredictable and that was in part what made him so dangerous. As the seconds ticked by Gilbert weighed up the options and made his decision. If his master was being this open with him then it must have meant he did value his opinion to some degree. To hell with it, he decided to take a shot,

"Well then, sir, I do believe that you certainly are being a fool"

Macavity looked up all of a sudden and then turned his head back with a strange look of disbelief at what was apparently impertinence coming from Gilbert – of all cats.

"I beg your pardon?" the red tom said vocalizing that disbelief.

"Well, sir, if I may be so bold, it wouldn't quite be fair that you'd be angered by something Mistoffelees may have done before you had both even met. And, if he did it with, as you say, naivety then he couldn't have known the result of whatever the action was and therefore couldn't have known any lasting affect. Is the action something he shows remorse for?"

"…Yes" Macavity said as if it were a dirty word.

"Then I do believe, sir, that therein lies your answer. If it is you he is now seeking forgiveness from then the right thing to do is to give it"

Macavity looked down at Gilbert with a growing mixture of annoyance and embarrassment before looking away and, in an attempt to remain high and mighty, disapprovingly said,

"And why would you come to such a conclusion?"

"Because, sir, over the past weeks I've seen you become much happier than you've ever appeared before and, unless there is something else I'm unaware of, Mister Mistoffelees is the cause. I feel it would be far more detrimental to your well being to allow your current perturbation to overcome the new happiness you seem to posses. Unless I'm very much mistaken, sir, Mistoffelees is a very welcome addition to your life and one that, I expect, has benefited you more than anyone, including myself, can see"

Macavity pouted as he absorbed the words since he knew them to be right. Gilbert had succeeded in echoing what the clear-thinking part of him had been saying all along but had until now been silenced by his stubborn desire to always get his own way. He knew he shouldn't have been so annoyed but knowing it was Tugger that Misto had done what he'd done with just made it that much more discomforting. Tugger was vile and wouldn't have cared a damn about what he was doing to the perfect Misto that Macavity knew he loved. He would have looked down at Misto as an object, a tool with the sole purpose of providing him with pleasure and it made Macavity feel sick and somehow some of the loathing he had for him at that time seemed to spill onto Misto. Perhaps it was simply because he had been involved in some way in making himself what Macavity supposed was 'unclean' in his eyes even though he knew it wasn't really his fault. He'd been thinking it through for a while now and could see Misto hadn't known what he was doing. If what they'd done together only a short while ago was an indicator then while Misto made him feel amazing he certainly wasn't experienced in those matters and so it seemed to lend support to his plea.

Gilbert as right: how could Misto have known what he was letting himself in for? It did seem that his black and white tom wasn't so much in the wrong here and it did seem that it was now down to him to make things right between them even if there was still a smudge on things.

"Perhaps, sir, instead of holding onto your anger your time might be better spent thinking of how to work around it."

Macavity couldn't deny it was the truth. What Gilbert was saying was the exact thing he needed to hear and yet his annoyance still yelled at him not to accept it. On the whole he was quite impressed with Gilbert's courage at saying such things as he knew taking such a liberty with the desperate hope of getting him to see the truth through it all was quite out of character for him. Perhaps it was a sign for him to allow Misto the same give and take he'd been granted without even having to ask and through it all he still knew he loved Misto. That was the most important thing, right? He absolutely loved him and didn't want to lose him over something that he surely regretted much more than Macavity did.

With an accepting sigh, Macavity pushed himself up, cancelled his drink order and jumped off of the roof leaving Gilbert alone. The black tom stared at where his master had been for a moment before breathing a sigh of relief that he wasn't being punished for taking a shot at offering advice. It had been a risky move but Gilbert really did care about his master's happiness and loved to see him so joyful lately. To know his master was taking a forward step in his life was very gratifying and a sign he hoped to see continuing in the big, red and apparently now much less frightening, far more loving tom.

* * *

"What do you think he does with so many packs of cards?"

"I don't know. Razzle dazzle?"

"Razzle dazzle?"

"Well, you know what he's like. He always likes to show off what he can do without using his real magic. I think he once said it was something to do with slight of paw and naturally deceiving the feline mind or some sort of rubbish he made up"

"He does make up an awful lot of rubbish"

"Yeah, maybe" said Victoria as she stood up from the floor of Misto's den where she had been sitting with Jemima and pulling apart some of Misto's neatly arranged possessions from a box that formed a part of his den. Turning herself around she looked around at all the things they'd gone through which were now strewn across her brother's home and sighed as she found her boredom hadn't been relieved to any lasting affect.

"I think that's the last of it" Jemima said as she got up too and stared at the mess she'd also played a part in creating. "Do you think he'll mind about all of this?"

"Probably but he won't be mad for long. He likes things to be tidy so he'll probably enjoy cleaning it up"

"You know, they say there was never a cat so clever but I wonder if maybe he's more deranged and obsessive than he is a smarty-pants"

"Yeah. I've wondered that too but then when I've confronted him about it he's pulled out a piece of paper and started doing algebra just to show off"

"That's Misto…"

"Hmm…"

The two stood in silence for a moment as they continued searching in what was apparently perpetual boredom. From outside, the general nightly sounds of the junkyard radiated in but they didn't really come with any appeal to be explored and as such the two young queens were once again left high and dry for something to do.

After a few moments more Jemima piped up - albeit rather uninspired,

"Has he got any food?"

"I don't know. Did you see any?" Victoria asked looking around again.

"Do you know if he keeps any in here?"

"He does sometimes but I'm not sure where exactly he-…oh, wait a minute…" Victoria said as she suddenly recalled something and turned again to start pulling at the junk that made up one of the walls. Jemima watched happily as she continued in her destruction and then brightened up with intrigue as she saw her arctic-white friend begin to pull a clandestine can of something out from the hiding place she supposed Misto must have thought was secret. It took a few moments but eventually the can popped free and Victoria stood there with a very pleased look about her as she showed what she had found to her friend.

"Are those…?" Jemima asked with slight disbelief.

"Yep. I knew he kept them somewhere!"

"Everlasting Cat!" Jemima nearly squealed as she took in the sight of an unopened can of sardines. They were truly a delicacy to cats like them and to find them in a pristine package such as this was a huge treat.

"I don't think he'll mind that much if we ate these for him" Victoria said with a hint of naughtiness to her otherwise soft and princess-like voice.

"I don't care if he does" Jemima chirped, "Open it up!"

* * *

Looking back up at the house within which his lair was situated, Macavity stood silently clutching a white rose in his paws as he contemplated how he was going to do this. He had not behaved well earlier and considering the gravity their lovemaking certainly would have had on Misto as well as what lasting effect it would have on his emotions he knew he really could have handled it better. Having sex for the first time was a huge step in anybody's life and to treat Misto like he had done was not what the smaller tom deserved. Not in any way.

With a laboured sigh the ferocious-looking tom went around to the side of the house, scurried up the drainpipe and jumped into his lair just as the sun was beginning to light the sky signalling a new day. Inside it was dark but warm and Macavity found it comforting to know he was home with Misto again. He knew Misto surely couldn't have been feeling the same at that moment but hopefully he could fix that – hopefully, of course, being the operative word.

Navigating his way through the darkened passageways of his lair he wondered why no candles were lit or why there didn't seem to be any movement. Usually there was a henchcat or two scuttling about either running his home or going about the orders they'd been given. It was rare not to see somebody managing some of his plunder although that wasn't the most pressing thing on his mind as he stopped in front of the doorway to where Misto was. Standing there for a moment he breathed in the warm air and tasted Misto's sweet scent which now seemed to be just about everywhere in his home – not that he minded. Thank Everlasting he smelt so good or else he didn't know how he might have managed. It was a wonderful scent that made him feel completely contented – now even more so since he knew he was in love with him - and so, with that feeling in mind, he stepped around the doorframe and entered his bedchamber.

The area was dark just like the rest of his lair but Macavity's eyes were sharp. Across from him lying on the bed he could see the small but distinctive form of his lover facing away and remaining still. Gently through the air the sound of his soft breathing sailed and Macavity sighed again as he realised Misto was asleep. In a way it was relieving to know that he still didn't have to face him but in another it was annoying to have to put it off. Still, the least he could do was to allow Misto to carry on sleeping and not disturb him at all. It only seemed fair after the way he'd stormed out earlier.

Staying as quiet as a mouse – pardoning any irony – he slowly padded over to the bed and slipped onto it to kneel beside Misto and look down at him. Just as when he had first laid eyes on the sleeping beauty that was his black and white tom and like every other time he had done so prior to that moment he felt the wind knocked out of him and his heart in his throat. Much in the same way as he always contemplated the physical effect Misto's beauty had on him he wondered how such a supposedly simple thing could render him utterly defenceless and then, of course, found he didn't care anyway. The smile that plastered itself on his face as a result was warm and loving and without even thinking about it he leant his body down and gently rubbed his head in that uniquely feline way against Misto's as the smaller cat drifted somewhere far away in dreamland. Misto, as he'd told himself countless times already, really was perfect and as he felt his soft fur Macavity counted his blessings that he had come to exist with him right there, right then.

Without making a sound the red tom softly placed the white rose he still clutched in his paw down on the silk sheets in front of Misto and then pulled himself away to let him carry on sleeping. He proceeded to watch him for ages without shifting in his position apart from eventually beginning to delicately stroke his monochrome lover along the reaches of his body to which his arm could extend. He was rewarded with a soft purr that soon filled the air and there was simply no sweeter music his ears could hear. The delight carried on for a long time and Macavity wished it could last forever.

Eventually though, some light began to seep in from the doorway and it seemed that the morning sun must have been streaming into another part of the lair and bouncing off the walls to delicately caress both he and Misto. Macavity kept watching his tom as he slept and as more of his features became clearer as the light crept over him so too did he begin to stir from his seemingly peaceful slumber.

With one final stroke of his paw Macavity watched as Misto cracked his eyes open and stared out in front of himself for a moment before closing them again and trying to bury his face in the sheets below. Not wishing to wake yet he began to shift his body over to his other side but then stopped as he bumped into something big, heavy and warm. Opening his eyes wider he looked out to see the impressive chest of his big, strong tom and then flicked his eyes upwards to meet his before stopping and staring up both sleepily and anxiously. Macavity didn't say anything as Misto looked up at him and simply smiled down – albeit not too eagerly – as he let the moment pass.

Misto didn't really know how to feel. He'd had a dreamless sleep and as such was feeling quite refreshed as the new day dawned but as he returned to real life so too did memories of what had happened the night before began to slip back into his consciousness and his dreamy stupor was replaced with feelings of both joy and worry. It seemed strange to see Macavity here next to him when he had been sure that he was not at all pleased with what he'd been told and Misto had wished so hard before he'd fallen asleep that he could have simply kept his big mouth shut. Why couldn't he have just let things remain perfect? It didn't seem like it would have taken much and even though he hadn't been particularly upset by what had happened – largely because of not knowing where they stood anymore – he nonetheless wished he hadn't been so stupid as to ruin the perfection that had been last night up until the point when he'd ruined everything. Now it was crunch time. Whatever he said now had to be exactly right or else he'd risk setting Macavity off again. He had to show him that he was sorry for ever having been so stupid as to mess around with Tugger and prove that it was he that he truly desired. In his mind that was the whole problem anyway: he was an idiot for allowing Tugger to do what he'd done to him and he had to take responsibility for it. There was no one else to blame; he had to prove he was sorry.

"Hi" Misto said scratchily as he looked up into his tom's striking green eyes.

"Good morning" Macavity said with as much warmth as he could – an emotion that he'd never had much luck in showing.

"You came back," Misto said with a genuine glimmer of hope in his voice.

"Yes. I didn't want to leave you alone all night"

"You've been here all night?"

"Well, only for a few hours…I assume. I'm afraid I lost track of time"

"But you've been here?"

"Yes"

Misto smiled weakly and remained silent for a moment before carrying on.

"I…I was thinking that maybe…you didn't want to…I don't know…be around me"

"What do you mean?"

"After what I said I thought that maybe…you know...you thought I wasn't…worth it"

"Worth what?" Macavity asked only now beginning to understand what toll his leaving had taken upon Misto.

"Worth your time. I mean, you chose to have…you know…s- sex with me" Misto began and stumbling on the word 'sex' – a trait Macavity would have adored had he not been feeling increasingly rotten over how Misto apparently felt –, "and then I went and ruined it by telling you about…you know what"

"Oh, Misto…" Macavity began shaking his head mournfully and trying to think of where to begin. In the end he didn't have to as Misto pushed himself to his knees and stared down at Macavity with a glint of what seemed like desperation in his eyes as he pleaded his case.

"Look, darli-…Macavity. I know what I did was vile and stupid and I know I can't take it back but I wish I could. What we did last night was better than anything I've ever felt before and I promise that if I'd known what I was doing with Tugger then I never would have let it happen. What we did was much better than that! I know it's all my fault but I promise that if you forgive me I'll never be so stupid again. I know it's disgusting but I don't want to lose you because of it and I really hope you'll let me try to be better. Anything to be good enough for you"

Macavity lay there surprised as he thought about Misto's words. Could it be that this poor little tom that was taking full responsibility for a bad situation that he hadn't even been the cause of was asking for his forgiveness? Was it really that way around? Macavity really did feel guilty for the admission Misto had just made and really felt sorry that he actually thought it was he that had ruined what had been a perfect little love story they had been living up until he'd blown a fuse.

"Misto…" Macavity said as he quickly propped himself up and took the smaller tom's face in his paws. Misto softly turned his face into one of them as it touched his cheek and then looked back at Macavity from the side with his big, blue eyes. The sight was so dumbfounding it nearly broke Macavity's heart and as that very heart did somersaults he found his words interrupted by something inside that forced him forward to kiss Misto softly to try and ease his shame.

"Oh, Misto, you are silly" he carried on after a moment or two, "Why on earth do you think you're to blame for what happened?"

"Because I…am?" the smaller tom said doubtfully and with renewed worry.

"Oh no, darling. You're positively perfect. How could you ever get on my bad side?"

"But…I made you angry"

"No, I made myself angry. What you told me made me set myself off and it was nothing to do with you. What you said was innocent enough and I made it into something far more outrageous than it should have been"

"But…I-"

"No, no, no. Don't say anything, my sweet little tomcat" Macavity said before shutting him up with another kiss, "You did nothing wrong and I'm sorry for reacting like I did. You could never do anything wrong in my eyes because, quite simply Misto,-" Macavity stopped mid-sentence without uttering the crucial words 'I love you' like he had wanted to say so naturally. He hadn't even begun to think about how he was going to tell Misto he loved him yet and that seemed like an even more mammoth task than sorting out this silly mess. That was huge and he had to make it perfect no matter what.

"Because…?" Misto asked quietly with those same sparkling blues tugging at Macavity's heartstrings.

"Because…" the bigger tom said feeling a sweat beginning to break and trying to think of how to get out of that moment, "…because…well, as I said, you're perfect. Nothing you could do could be wrong"

"But…are you sure?" Misto asked without really knowing what was happening once again.

"Of course, my darling. Let's just forget all about it"

"O-…Okay" Misto said as a small smile crept onto his face accompanied with an internal mixture of huge confusion and relief.

"Now" Macavity said changing his tone to one that was far sultrier and picking up the rose to hold between them, "Why don't you and I pick up where we left off?"

Misto looked at him with even further misunderstanding. Is this how most cats suddenly turned it on? Sure, Macavity had the greatest sex drive of them all but this was certainly unexpected. Still, why not? Last night had been spectacular and Misto could see no reason not to go at it again. He had a hunger for it now and the idea of being ravaged by Macavity once more seemed like a fantastic way to start the day. Despite his desire though, Misto couldn't help but let a giggle slip as Macavity ran his paws up his body and pulled him on top of him in a most undignified way whilst once again exploring the areas on his body he now permitted himself to play with. To Misto it felt so naughty but that was part of what made it so fantastic. Taking the rose and gently smelling it he fluttered his eyelids before throwing it aside and pushing Macavity backwards.

How wonderful it was to know there was nothing that could keep them apart for too long. That is, nothing until later that same day.

* * *

At around lunchtime Misto emerged into the daylight outside his lover's lair and drew in the clear but crisp autumn air through his nose. It had an earthier scent to it now the leaves were beginning to turn and Misto smiled as he pondered the mysteries of nature. Biologically it was easy to understand, philosophically it was much harder and as that thought lingered in his mind he found himself smiling when he remembered he now had somebody in his life that could actually think on the same level. That very somebody followed him out a few moments later and snaked his arms around his waste before burying his face into his neck, kissing him there and eliciting from him a giggle. They had a spent a wonderful rest of the night together as well as what seemed the whole of the morning and Misto's head was still reeling from how fantastic it had been. He felt like he'd taken another step in life now but he didn't quite know what the feeling he now felt was. It was kind of like a new space had opened up in his mind that allowed him to think 'bigger' and whatever it may have been he knew he liked it.

"Are you sure you have to go?" Macavity said into his fur as he gently rocked him from side to side.

"They'll wonder where I am if I don't show up soon" Misto said as he turned his head as far as he could to kiss his red tom's head.

"But I want you to stay here"

"But I have to go"

"No" Macavity said playfully.

"Yes"

"No"

"Macavity"

"Misto"

"Let me go, please"

"No"

"Please" Misto whined.

"No"

Misto sighed with a smile on his face

"Well, we can't just stand here all day"

"I agree. Let's go back to bed," said Macavity stepping away and trying to pull him back into his lair.

"Now, come on. Don't they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

Macavity stopped and smirked momentarily,

"You've never said that before"

Misto shrugged,

"I must be spending too much time with you"

"Never" the red tom said going forward to grab his black and white tom again but being stopped in his tracks before he could do so.

"I really have to get back but I'll see you later"

"But I don't want to wait"

"Well, you can walk me back if you like"

"Aww…wouldn't the energy you'd use to walk be better spent...in bed" he said making the last two words drip with lust.

"Stop it" Misto had to force himself to say, "I need a rest"

"Why? Am I too much for you?"

"At times I thought perhaps you might be"

Macavity didn't say anything at that and simply stood smugly and basked in the apparent compliment. Seizing the opportunity to escape, Misto turned and hurried down the drainpipe before Macavity had a chance to stop him and then startled when he, upon reaching the bottom, turned to see him standing right there.

"How the hell do you do that?" he asked.

"Practice"

"Come on then" he said as he tried to march off but then stopped dead and flinched when he felt a pain shoot up his leg. Macavity – being hugely overprotective - was on him in a flash.

"Misto! Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine. It's this sprain"

"Oh...can you walk on it at all?"

"Hang on" Misto said before stepping forward and then flinching once again, "Nope"

The two stood silently for a moment before Macavity scooped Misto into his arms and began walking off without even a word of warning.

"Oh my Ever-…What are you doing?" the smaller tom asked.

"What does it look like?"

"Hmm. Well, thanks. I thought you'd take the opportunity to take me back upstairs" Misto said before regretting it when Macavity suddenly paused to consider it. "No! Stop it! I have to go home!"

"Fine" the red tom said before begrudgingly resuming his walk. As they carried on, Misto looked across to the arm of his lover that was holding up his legs and admired the bulging bicep that seemed to be completely at ease in supporting his weight. He knew he was small but his size was misleading and he was heavier than he looked. Still, Macavity's muscles weren't showing any kind of strain as they held him up and the thought made Misto feel very lucky. How nice it was to know those big, muscled arms were for holding only him and nobody else. He had become the lover of the most devilishly handsome and most jawdroppingly sexy cat in London and the feeling was just amazing.

Not wanting to waste the opportunity he snuggled his head in the crook of Macavity's strong neck and watched where they were going as he sailed along in the big tom's embrace. Could life get any better than this?

* * *

A while later they were nearing the junkyard and Macavity directed them behind some bushes near the entrance as they watched to ensure the coast was clear. It was difficult to know whether anyone was going to be about since on one paw it was the middle of the day when the sun was at its highest and provided the best time for basking. On the other paw there was definite chill in the air and it was just as likely that everyone would be tucked up inside keeping warm. After all, a cat never sits out in the cold when he can snuggle up in the warm.

"I'll go and have a look" Macavity said going to leave the bush they were hiding in before being grabbed.

"Are you mad? What if someone sees you?"

"No one will see me"

"How can you be sure?"

"Hello? It's me."

Misto thought for a moment and then released him. He was right after all. Misto watched as the bigger tom carefully padded over to the fence and hopped up before disappearing over the other side and remaining out of sight for a good long moment. Misto became anxious with every second that passed fearing Munk would be out moping like he was prone to doing recently and would be there to catch Macavity in the act. He hated to think the tribe would be put on high alert again since it would make it much harder for him to sneak out.

Fortunately though Macavity reappeared and hopped over to him with a cheery disposition.

"I can't see anyone out so I think if we make a dash for it we'll be fine"

"I'm sorry. We?" Misto asked cheekily, "You can't go in there!"

"I just did"

"Well, you can't go in there again. Once was risky enough"

"And just how are you going to walk in on a bad paw?"

"Easily" Misto said cockily trying to stride forward and then flinching again as the same pain from earlier stopped him in his tracks. He sighed before he felt Macavity's paw on his shoulder and turned his head to look up at him.

"Would you like some help?" the red tom asked

"How though?"

"Well, I'll pick you up and then run you over to your den. Simple"

"Simple? I don't think so"

"You over-think things"

"When it comes to this I can't think things through enough"

"Well, this time I'll save you the trouble" the big tom said before scooping Misto up once again and dashing forward with him in his arms. Misto had to stop himself from yelping and protesting so as not to arouse any suspicion from inside the junkyard as they got closer and closer. As they crossed the threshold Misto felt his heart go cold with dread and desperately prayed they wouldn't be found out. He couldn't believe how cavalier Macavity seemed to be regarding all of this but he couldn't care through his fear.

The big tom grinded to a halt and bent low as he came to the edge of the big clearing in the middle of the yard and together they looked around making sure the coast was clear. Before Misto even had time to whisper they were off again and in a flash they hurtled through the doorway to his den whereupon any celebration they might have had over circumventing Munkustrap's terrible security was instantly dashed. For there, lying on Misto's bed amongst an unholy mess of his possessions that they had undoubtedly been the creators of, were Victoria and Jemima who began to waken as they were disturbed by the commotion.

Misto became rigid and stared out with widened eyes as he saw his sister's head start to turn in his direction and just as he felt he couldn't grit his teeth any harder he saw her eyes flicker open to look in the direction of he and the tom who held him.

A silent moment passed along with another before the image presented to the white queen actually sunk in and it was only upon blinking her eyes for a third time that she actually found the cognitive capacity to process what she was seeing. In an instant she bolted up and clamoured backwards in what surely must have been an attempt to jump off of the bed and plaster herself to the wall. Unfortunately for her Jemima was in the way and her legs caught against her friend's body as she jumped preventing them from ever making it to the floor and sending her flying backwards over the side of the bed before landing on the floor in a heap. Jemima sat up quickly and shook her head at the sudden chaos and looked down to where her friend was struggling to get up. It was a very strange sight that she didn't understand in the slightest but just as she went to ask what was going on she looked to the other side of the room and suddenly no longer needed an explanation. In much the same way as the white queen her body seemed to go into a wild spasm for a moment resulting in her identical ungraceful fall to the floor and together the queens scooted up in a panic and threw their backs against the wall whilst staring back at Misto and Macavity with horror.

The four cats in Misto's den stood in silence for a moment waiting for any idea for what to do to become apparent. Unfortunately nothing came and so in a freak flurry of shock and terror Victoria threw her head back and screamed,

"Macavity!"

Time seemed to slow and it seemed everything was in slow motion as Misto threw himself from the bigger tom's arms, belted across the den and slapped his paw over his sister's mouth. Once everything was back at normal speed he did the same to Jemima as he saw her about to do the same thing and before they could protest he shushed them harder than he had ever shushed anyone ever before.

"Guys! Shut up! Shut up! shut up! shut up!" he fiercely spat at them before carrying on with the same ferocity, "It's okay! Don't freak out! We're friends"

"I think we're a little more than friends, Misto" Macavity said from across the room feeling a little indignant at the smaller tom's characterisation of him. It made Misto spin his head back quickly and shoot him a glare.

"Do you really think now is the time to be specific?"

"Forgive me" he said before looking away and surveying the messy den casually as his black and white tom went back to what he was currently occupied with.

"Okay. So, we're more than friends but whatever it is he's not going to hurt you so you have to calm down, alright?"

They did not calm down and Misto had real trouble in pinning them both back and keeping them from shouting out as they so obviously tried to do due to the incomprehensible situation that had developed.

"Vicks! Jems! Would you bloody well shut up? Munk might hear you and then everything will be completely screwed!"

Victoria now had an angry streak showing through her mind-blowing terror and although Misto couldn't make out words he knew that what she was trying to shout from behind his paw wasn't ladylike.

"It's okay! Don't you think that if he was going to hurt you then he would have done it by now? Don't you think it speaks volumes that he carried me in here? Come on, guys, think it through!"

That was more easily commanded than obeyed as Misto quickly found out although it seemed to rein in the queens' attempts at screaming somewhat. It eventually allowed Misto to feel a little less worried and after a few moments of frantic consideration he decided to allow them the privilege of speech.

"Now, you guys have to promise not to scream if I take my paws away. Do you promise?" he hurriedly said to the queens he was pinning back inadvertently resulting in even more struggling and desperate looks of horrific confusion. "Pleeease!" he begged with the most desperate look he could muster hoping it might calm them down again.

It didn't but they did at least seem to agree not to explode as soon as he took his paws away. Then again, it may have been the sheer incomprehension of the moment they both seemed to be struck by that kept them from doing anything but gawking at what was before them and keeping their jaws slacked most ungracefully.

Not wanting to waste any time, Misto decided to try and get it over with as quickly as possible.

"Okay, listen. Macavity and I have been seeing each other for a while now"

"Well over a month. Nearly two, I think" Macavity said as he fiddled with a dice he'd found on the floor.

"You're not helping!" Misto shot.

"My apologies"

"Anyway, we've been seeing each other since the ball and we've been hiding it from everyone"

"Pretty successfully up until now" the red tom cut in again.

"Would you give it a rest?"

"Are you sure? It looks like you're floundering"

"I am not!"

"Well, I'm not sure you're making it any better"

"I'm trying my bloody best!"

"Well, I think I can make this much easier for them than you can"

"No you can't!"

"Yes, I can. You're crashing and burning"

"I am not! I'm gonna make this okay and there's nothing you can do to help at the moment!"

"Oh really? Watch" he said before bounding over and standing in front of the two completely gobsmacked queens. They seemed to visibly shrink as he stood tall in front of them and without intending to do so he did look quite intimidating. It wasn't clear whether it was the general sense of power and fearsomeness he outwardly showed or the striking and even scary markings all over his body that made him look even more frightening but either way his demeanour was not at all calming to the two cowering queens. Taking a second, he relaxed and put on his most charming façade – one he knew would win them over or at least one that he knew had never failed to win over any cat ever before. Strangely enough it didn't seem to make them melt straight away – probably due to the terrible fear that was coursing through their veins - and so the smug confidence that usually came with the persona didn't arrive for Macavity in full force like it usually did.

"Ladies, it's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm sorry my presence has startled you so but I mean you no harm. Now, before we begin I'd like to say how I particularly admired your performances at the ball all those weeks ago. Especially you my dear," he said looking into the fear-stricken Victoria's eyes and eliciting a frightened squeak from her. Clearly flattery wasn't going to work either and he knew he had to try harder. "Now, to cut a long story short, Misto and I have indeed been secretly seeing each other since roughly then during which time I've grown greatly attached to him and I don't intend to stop any time soon"

Misto was silent as he listened to his beau's attempt at appeasing Victoria and Jemima's mind-blowing alarm and sheer confoundedness and watched as the two queens stared with their heads cocked backwards so as to look up to the red tom's face. Their ears were flattened and Jemima visibly shuddered every few moments as the situation became too much to contain whilst Victoria remained stock-still and locked up tight. It seemed useful thought had clearly vacated her conscious for the time being and neither Misto nor Macavity knew whether or not anything being said was going in. Still, they weren't screaming anymore and so Misto simply watched hoping that somehow everything was going to be fine. After all, what else could he do at that point other than hop back and forth on his little white paws and whip his tail back and forth which incidentally he was increasingly finding himself doing.

"So, I think I can speak for Misto and myself when I say that we'd very much appreciate your cooperation in keeping this little mess to yourselves and to make sure that you don't cause a scene for us. After all, I'd hate to have to try more extreme measures to keep you both from spilling the beans"

"Like that's gonna help anything!" Misto suddenly shot at his lover, "You're trying to calm them down, not scare them into having a heart attack"

"Well, it'd keep them from telling anyone"

"Oh, stop it! Look, you've scared them so much they're on the verge of peeing themselves!"

Macavity looked and wondered how close to the truth his little tom was. The two queen's did seem like they were on the verge of something horrible happening although whether it was accidental urination or identical brain haemorrhages was unclear.

"Misto, I'm only trying to help"

"Well, so much for you being better at calming them down!"

"I've spoken much more coherently than you have. Everlasting knows how badly you've confused them"

"Me? At least I got them to shut up! You've just terrified them"

"Well, excuse me for trying to make myself appear more cat-like than demon. I thought they might like to see I wasn't a monster"

"And have you succeeded?"

Macavity looked at the queens. They hadn't changed in their statue-still positions whilst he and Misto were arguing and still looked terribly afraid.

"Well, no, but-"

"But nothing! You shouldn't have even tried!"

"Oh, shouldn't I have?"

"No!"

"At least I gave it a shot!"

"Why did you even have to?"

"Because I love-" Macavity began before catching the last word and standing there with his eyes wide and his mouth open. In the heat of the moment he'd very nearly revealed to Misto what he'd been desperately wanting to say all day and now it seemed he'd done it at the worst possible moment during their first fight. Damn his fieriness

In a sudden change all of Misto's anger instantly seemed to melt away and he stood there in front of Macavity in disbelief but also with a hugely hopeful look in his wide, bright blue eyes. Another second past and despite trying his hardest Macavity could see no other way out of the sentence he'd begun. He had to finish it and so without changing his expression simply let the last word slip, "…you"

Straight away Misto adopted the same expression as his female compatriots and gawked at the red tom who as the seconds passed began to look less conflicted and started to appear both accepting and annoyingly at ease with the whole situation. Had he actually just said he loved him? Had this astounding, amazing, totally inappropriately timed tom actually said he was in love with him? Straight away Misto felt his knees begin to shake as he was filled up to the brim with both shock and joy but he forced them to be steady as he coughed out the best response he could manage in his so very undignified state.

"What?" he strained as he looked into the big tom's eyes. They stared back at him with an astounding wash of warmth and truth that wrapped him up in the most staggering feeling of happiness he had ever experienced and even though it was most definitely the worst timing in the world he just couldn't care. How powerful that one little word was that he'd heard a million times before but only just now was realising what it meant. How amazing was the effect it had on him, even so much as to completely distract him from the abysmal situation that had arisen in the past minute that only a few seconds ago had made him simply want to die rather than deal with it? This was the most fantastic feat Macavity had ever demonstrated to him and he'd done it by simply uttering just a few simple words – no magic whatsoever. This was beyond sorcery, it was divine and Misto couldn't breathe for the shock that gripped him.

"You love me?" he eventually muttered in a way that made it seem like he had a mouth full of toffee.

"Yes" Macavity said breathily but with his alluring baritone seeping through and as he started smiling warmly he put his arms around him. "I wanted to say it earlier but I couldn't think how. Now I've gone and said it without even thinking"

Misto continued to gawk and so Macavity simply carried on even though he felt even more of his confidence beginning to slip away as the gravity of what he'd just done began to catch up with him.

"Still, that's not the main reason. It's because I really want you to know that I've never known any cat that's made me feel more wonderful or that has ever been able to break down the guard I've held up for so long leaving me completely defenceless. You've bewitched me with your beauty and kidnapped my heart so expertly that there could never be another cat I could adore more than you. And…and…oh, damn! I'm sorry for trying to be poetic" he suddenly said with a growing hint of panic in his voice making him cringe as he felt his grip on the moment slipping. "I just want this to be perfect. Oh, Everlasting Cat! Look, the fact is, I can't say how I really feel about you because there just aren't words to do it. You're perfect Misto and I want to be the only cat for you because, quite simply, you're the only cat for me. You are the best thing that has ever come into my life and I am totally, completely yours. Oh, Everlasting! I can't believe I'm rambling! Misto…" Macavity said firmly having turned from uneasy confidence to blithering uncertainty in the space of thirty seconds, "…Misto. I can only say this to you as simply as possible because I just can't do it any other way…"

With a deep breath and a small but truly genuine smile he said the words which hammered the message home deep into Misto's heart,

"I love you…so very, very much."

Macavity closed his eyes and sighed. Come to think of it, he probably could have chosen a far better moment to say what he'd just said and far more concisely too. Already he was starting to regret his sudden outburst even though in his mind it had seemed like a really romantic thing to do. Now he had a moment to think he considered whether Misto was ready to hear such a thing and thought that if he wasn't what a silly thing it was that he'd just done.

Just as he was about to look back up he was startled as he felt lips pressed against his and as he opened his eyes he saw the closed lids of Misto's right in front of his. In seconds he melted into the soft kiss that made him tingle all through his body and left him completely without his trusty sense of backbone and majesty that bolstered him at moments like these. Perhaps never actually having experienced a moment like this was the reason he was totally unknowing of what to do as he kissed his Misto but as he felt the smaller tom place his arms around his neck he let his heart lead the way and held the smaller tom in kind. All of his feelings were reciprocated in that gentle, tender moment. He loved Misto and even though he hadn't said it, he was assured through that perfect kiss that Misto loved him too.

A moment or two later they parted and gently pressed their noses together as they both smiled widely and held each other in the surprisingly serene silence of the den. They had completely forgotten about the world around them as they bathed in each other's feelings and it seemed truly as if their hearts were beating in time as that wonderful feeling of magic they had come to know entwined around them.

Sadly, as is true with all things in life, their moment came to an end when a nervous hiccup broke the silence and made them turn their heads to the two queens who stood nearby not with the astounded gawking as before but with expressions similar to ones they might have had they been repeatedly smacked over their heads with cricket bats. They were clearly confused but that was most certainly an understatement and as Misto took a moment to view them he wondered if they might begin drooling in their unfathomable stupor – let alone wet themselves.

"Umm. Right…" he said awkwardly as he came back to reality.

"Yes, right…" echoed Macavity feeling exactly the same.

"I, uh…well…"

"Mmm…"

"Does…uh…does that clear things up?" Misto asked the queens hopefully thinking there was very little that could be done to make things worse now.

The four of them stood there looking at each other in silence for a few moments more before there was a sudden scuffling at the entrance to the den. The two toms spun around as quickly as they could just in time to see Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer fall in through the door.

"Would you bloody get off me?" the orange calico queen shot at her brother who flummoxed on top of her in the pile they lay in on the floor with the same lack of grace they both employed in their everyday manner.

"Stop wriggling and I just might" he said as he hoisted himself up and pulled his sister along with him. "Alright, Mac? We thought we smelled you"

Macavity looked back at them with an increasingly perplexed look and blinked once before speaking,

"What the hell are you two doing here?"

"We live here!" the orange queen responded rudely, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I was…I was bringing Misto back"

"Alright then. But why are they here?" she said gesturing to the stricken queens across from where she stood with her brother.

"They…uh…were here when we got here"

"Did they…know about you two?" Mungojerrie asked.

"Well, they do now" Misto said resignedly making the two snicker.

"Did they take it well?"

"Does it look like they did?"

"Ah, don't worry you two" the pair laughed as they pushed past Macavity and Misto and pulled the gawking queens around, "You'll get used to it"

The sudden jolt seemed to snap them out of it and with a sharp breath Victoria shook her head, looked at her brother and spoke very timidly,

"Misto. What's going on?"

"Didn't you see?" Misto responded with the same timidity.

"Yes, but…how?"

"Well, these things…just happen" he said with a nervous smile as he stepped closer to Macavity and put his paws on him.

"But…but…"

"I love him, Vicks" he said with an even warmer smile, "I don't know how it happened but I do"

"You really do?" Macavity asked as he pulled him closer.

"Yes. I really do" Misto replied before pushing up on his toes to make their lips meet again.

The action prompted jeers and kissy faces from the orange criminals who were now in their presence but they didn't really care. It seemed nothing could make this moment any more mixed up and yet strangely wonderful and so they kissed again not caring about the jeering from one pair and confusion from the other.

Despite how messy the past five minutes or so had been it now seemed everything was moving towards a happy, albeit wobbly conclusion and hopefully now they could all begin to talk without the inherent worry and fear that had recently been struck into each of them respectively. Such a scenario would have been nice had there not been another scuffling at the entrance to the den making all of them turn their heads at exactly the same time. In a split second Misto's heart went completely cold and his body rigid as he saw whom it was at his door and he quietly whimpered with fear and uncertainty as the cat in front of them straightened up and looked over. This was absolutely the worst thing that could possibly have happened to him at that moment and as he now took his turn as the one to be stricken with fear so too did he find he simply couldn't speak. Fortunately for him – or unfortunately depending on the way one looked at it – words seemed to come to his lover far more easily.

"Hello, Munkustrap" the red tom said darkly.

The silver tabby simply glared back at him angrily but not without surprise as he saw who was in his brother's arms. Suddenly everything clicked into place: Demeter's strange sensations and nightmares, his unrelenting grief and frustration, the strange feeling that things weren't right, his worries that he were going mad, all of it. What's more he now could see Misto had lied plainly to his face and had it not been for his unyielding hatred for his brother that would have been the thing that was cutting at him the most.

He was absolutely furious. He had never been so angry in all his life and the fire that was now burning within him could only let him spit one word through his clenched teeth as the rest of the cats in the den – bar his brother – cowered in his looming menace.

"Macavity!"

**There it is. Did you like it? I hope it makes up for the long gap. Reviews are greatly appreciated. **

**Hopefully I'll write the next chapter sooner – after all, how can I possibly take several months again?**

**Thanks for reading. You guys are awesome. See you in the next chapter! x**


	11. Ejection

**Hey Everyone! Me again after another stupidly long absence. Nearly five months I think. That's just awful!**

**Now, I've been toying with whether or not to bring this story to a close quickly or not since it's taken me so long to get this far. I realise this is a point where I could wind it down but I did have another tangent in mind that I've always thought would be fun. In the end I've decided to go with the tangent since I did spend a while mapping it out in my head. It shouldn't take too much longer but going by my recent track record it seems there's no knowing how long I could be. Still, I reiterate that I WILL finish this story no matter how long it takes so just hang in there. My idea for the end hasn't changed and hopefully it'll be as entertaining as I planned.**

**Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**Chapter 11**

**Ejection**

Striking green eyes met cold blue as Macavity and Munkustrap faced off in Misto's den. The brothers had been locked in a hard, unloving gaze for many long moments now and the smaller, black and white tom trapped in the middle of the pair could only wait in fear for whatever was going to happen next.

Macavity - the tom he'd only minutes before managed to introduce to his sister and one of his closest friends – maintained his usual coolheaded yet fearsome stance but not without a clear glow of resentment and anger building inside and burning in his eyes. Munkustrap stood in the doorway with fire raging within his and his heavy, heated breaths only hammered home how much hatred he held for the cat he faced.

"Macavity!" he spat again flashing his sharp teeth.

"I heard you the first time" the red tom replied with a similar disdain.

Munk sneered as his brother's words fell on his ears and then shot daggers at Misto who fought the urge to cower as his eyes met with the fearsome silver tabby.

"You lied, Misto," he said seething, "You lied right to my face!"

Misto simply looked down and rubbed his elbow with his opposing paw as he felt shame well up inside him.

"I'm sure it doesn't take much" Macavity said cockily and making Munk glare back at him.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your disgusting face around here!" the silver tom said taking a step forward into the den.

"Well, it's not like it's the first time"

"I know. I can see now I was right"

"Bravo, pussycat" Macavity taunted.

"I think it's time you left"

"I don't think so, Munk, I th-"

"It's Munkustrap to you!"

"As I was saying, Munk, I think I'll stick around for a while just to see how this pans out" Macavity said grabbing Misto and pulling him closer. Misto looked up and somehow found in his eyes the courage he desperately needed at that point. For some reason it made him feel less afraid and he turned around to meet the fiery condemnation spewing from his supposed protector.

"So what is this?" Munk shot, "Some sort of filthy…fling?"

"No" Misto said more meekly than he had meant, "we're…um…"

"You're what?"

"We're…"

"Well, spit it out, you little whelp!"

"Don't speak to him like that!" Macavity cut in.

"And if I do?"

"You'll certainly get what's coming to you" Macavity said pushing Misto aside and taking a step towards his livid brother.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Why don't you try it and see?"

"Don't push me, Macavity!"

"Stop it! Please!" Misto squeaked before taking a deep breath and saying, "We're…in love"

Munk snorted, "Oh Everlasting Cat…"

"It's true. Macavity and I are…in love"

"Oh, don't be so stupid, Misto! You let him rut on top of you a few times and all of a sudden you think he loves you?"

"I didn't just-!" Macavity begun before pausing to regain some composure, "I mean, we're not just playing around. It's true, I do love him"

"Oh, shut up! It's bad enough you nearly destroyed this tribe by saying that all those years ago but now you're trying it again! You're sick!"

"What happened then was different! And I was different! We all were!"

"And now you've learned how to feel love? Don't play me for an idiot!"

"Well, it certainly seems to have worked until now!"

The exchange was cut short as there was a sudden scuffling at the doorway and everyone in the den turned to see who was coming. In a flash, in popped Bomba and Demeter who as soon as seeing Macavity reacted in completely different ways. Bomba simply gawked at the sight of the big, red tom who stood so imposingly in the den dominating the space and radiating a sense of ownership of everyone and everything. His unexpected presence and striking appearance that had only gotten grander since she last saw him reminded her of when she knew him years beforehand and slowly the way he used to make her feel came flowing back into her mind and into her body. It was a mixed feeling but one that had more power over her than she might have expected.

Demeter was the complete opposite of her friend. The sight of the terrifying tom charged her with terror and succeeded in throwing her back against the wall with shock in her eyes and barely a breath in or out. All of her fears, all of her nightmares that she'd been having in recent weeks had come true and there, standing just a few feet away, was the tom that had caused her such terrible pain and torment in her past. She couldn't even mention his name as he looked upon her with a sympathy she couldn't even realise and stumbled as he spoke,

"Hello, Demeter"

Munk swept across his mate and glared even harder,

"Don't speak to her! Don't ever speak to her!"

Macavity rolled his eyes,

"Hello, Bomba"

"Macavity…" the red queen breathed as she tried to believe what she was seeing.

"It's been a long time"

"It has…"

"I've missed you"

Bomba couldn't resist his voice. It stirred her down to her very core and even though since their last meeting she'd had years to build up anger and hatred towards him, it all came tumbling down with those few simple words and his splendid image. He'd left his mark on her more than she had realised and she had no clue what she was supposed to do now.

"That's enough!" Munk cut in, "Misto, get away from him!"

"No." the smaller tom said defiantly after a small gulp.

"I said get away!"

"No. I love him" he said drawing closer to his tom.

"Love him?" Bomba said, "You love him?"

"And I love him" Macavity said in response once again putting his arms around his lover.

"But…what?" the red queen said in a stupor.

"We've fallen in love. Plain and simple"

"But…but…" the red queen sputtered, "Even though…despite everything that happened?"

"What do you mean?" asked Misto quietly. There was a short silence before Bomba broke her dumfoundedness and adopted a sultrier, knowing expression,

"You haven't told him"

"Told me what?"

"That he's a murderer" Munk cut in coldly.

"A what?"

"A murderer! He's killed, Misto!"

Misto stood there for a moment looking at his red tom and wondering if it could be true. Macavity just looked back at him through his powerful eyes with a silent expression of regret. It didn't take long to realise that it was likely – even true. After all, it was Macavity. There were more than enough stories and rumours to back it up. It didn't change the way he felt though. In his eyes, Macavity was still the same cat he'd come to know and love. At least for the moment.

"Oh" he said quietly, "I… I see"

Macavity smiled weakly with a pang of guilt beginning to fill him. This was not the way he'd wanted Misto to find out about the darker deeds in his past but to see the smaller tom process it and not step away gave him hope that his not telling him might be forgiven. That was until Munk decided to elaborate.

"He killed a Jellicle, Misto"

Misto's solidarity suddenly faded. A Jellicle? He'd killed an actual Jellicle? Surely that couldn't be true. Looking into those eyes, though, Misto found his answer and gasped lightly as he took in the apparent truth that his love had killed a member of the tribe. His tribe.

"Oh my…" Misto begun before losing his words and wishing he knew what to do. What did he feel? How was he supposed to feel? He didn't know. All he did know was that the cat he'd fallen in love with so recently was capable of killing one of his own.

After a moment he took a single step back from Macavity and simply looked at him wondering what he was going to do. It hurt the red tom to see his Misto looking so lost and confused and to know that he was responsible for it. Still, he maintained his solidarity and eye contact hoping he could think of how to diffuse the situation. It was a good plan but not one his body could follow at that moment and with only the tiniest lapse in concentration his jaw gave the smallest of quivers that was barely visible to anyone. Anyone but Munk. The silver tabby noticed and saw he was starting to gain the upper paw. Cruelly he decided to push further.

"It was many years ago…"

"Munk" came a stifled squeak from across the den making everybody's head turn. There, in the corner, stood Demeter who shook her head lightly but quickly at her mate and quivered nervously. Munk moved over to her and placed his paws on her arms.

"Please don't" she said as he looked at her.

"I have to" the tome said gently, "for Misto's sake"

"No"

"I have to. It'll be okay" he said pulling her close and kissing her on her head. "Don't worry. It'll be over quickly"

Stepping away from her Bomba took his place and comforted her frightened friend. Regaining his firm stance the silver tabby looked directly at Misto and gave him a glare as if to say 'don't you dare look away or I'll make sure you regret it'. Misto just looked back transfixed with worry.

"It was many years ago", Munk began again, "you were only a kitten at the time and didn't even live in the junkyard. The rest of us were all about your age and were probably just as air headed…"

Macavity huffed loudly to show his annoyance towards the insult but did not speak. He just couldn't think how to make this go any easier for his beloved Misto.

"…Macavity was just another member of the tribe like anyone else except he had a certain fancy for…well, just about everyone he wasn't related to. Wouldn't you say so?" he directed to his brother. Macavity kept his silence but intensified his iron glare towards him.

"…Yes, just about no one could escape his vile charms if you can call them that once his lust for them flared up. Toms, queens, it didn't matter who he wanted, he'd have them by playing them for fools and tricking them."

"That's not true!" the red tom said grittily.

"Shut up! Yes it is! The fact of the matter is you'd go after anything you wanted to stick your dick into and then make it yours no matter how disgusting or repulsive your methods!"

Misto's eyes widened at Munk's plain speaking and found it very out of character for him. The silver tabby carried on,

"He was sticking it to just about all the queens in the tribe. He was sleeping with Bomba and Demeter at the same time without telling either of them and making them think they were special to him. And when he wasn't with them he'd be out with any number of cats from outside the tribe. Housecats, strays, you name it! He'd go from defiling one slut, to another, to some disgusting orgy somewhere else and then who knows where! Not only that but he'd come back and flaunt it in front of us and boast about how much tail he was picking up, screwing and then dumping like rubbish!"

Misto felt a lump in his stomach and became slightly dizzy as his lover's sexual history was laid out so barely for him and looked to the red tom to try and get a hint of whether or not it was true. Macavity's apparent refusal to meet his eyes seemed to suggest it was.

"And that's the way it just went on. He'd do what he wanted without caring who he hurt. Not even whilst knowing that I loved Demeter and still stealing her from me!"

"I did not steal her!" Macavity suddenly interjected, "She so obviously preferred me to the crappy, lukewarm drivel you used to spout to try and get her interested!"

"You never cared for her! You knew I loved her and you still took her from me! You had so many others and you still took her just so I couldn't have her!"

"So what?" Macavity shot forgetting who was listening, "Maybe if you were any better at talking to queens you might have actually caught her attention instead of leaving her to settle for you when I was out of the picture!"

"I was there for her when you weren't! I actually care for her like you never did!"

"I did care for her!"

"Oh sure! I suppose that's why you were shagging her best friend at the same time and even worse: her sister!"

There was a sudden silence and Misto's eyes widened even further in shock.

"Sister?" he said in disbelief.

Munk just looked at Macavity slyly through his rage and could see he was about to hammer home how wretched he really was in front of the cat he supposedly loved.

"Yes, her sister. She was quite a queen, Misto. She was kind and caring and beautiful. She was one of the nicest cats you could ever hope to meet and deserved to be loved properly. It seems, though, that your…lover…didn't quite feel the same way"

"Shut your damn mouth, Munkustrap!" Macavity said through clenched teeth struggling not to explode then and there.

"Why?" the silver tom said, "Do you not want Misto to hear the truth about what you did? How you killed her?"

Misto looked at Munk, then at Macavity who this time looked back at him. They paused in limbo for a second before Macavity broke his rage and let his eyes fall to the ground. Misto's mouth dropped open and the dismay that filled him very nearly blocked out the near whisper that came from Macavity,

"It was an accident"

Munk stifled an evil laugh that tried to escape from his chest and could practically taste the justice that was finally being done to his brother.

"It was no accident" he said corrosively, "That tom standing before you killed that poor queen in cold blood and make no mistake"

"That's not true" Macavity tried to say forcefully but it was no use. The shame he felt in front of Misto was crushing and he wished so hard that he could have told him on his terms.

"Well, why don't we explore it?" Munk carried on, "You see, Misto, Macavity's sexual conquests unfortunately included that poor sweet queen. Just like Bomba and Demeter he kept each of the set-ups a secret from one other and enjoyed each of them for the pleasure he derived from them. I couldn't stand watching him sneak around and get his fill whenever he wanted and in the end I decided not to put up with it.

"I told them all plainly and simply what was going on and suddenly it all came to light for them. Well, except Bomba"

Misto looked to Bomba inquisitively though his worry and motivated her to speak up – albeit shamefully,

"I…I did know. But only found out shortly before this happened. I was still horrified by it all"

"But you still…"

"I didn't know what to do. And he was so…charming…" the queen stated losing her defensive stance and seemingly gaining a kind of sultry reminiscence. Misto stopped himself from scrunching his nose in disgust at the thought of his Macavity fooling around with Bomba. To him it just seemed 'icky'.

"So…you were…really having sex with all of them?" Misto asked his tom hoping he'd deny it. "You've…had sex with all the queens in here?" He waited for an answer before remembering his sister, Jemima and Rumplteazer were also there and adding, "Oh wait. Excluding those two and Teazer of cour-"

He cut himself short when he suddenly wondered about that point before looking around to the calico queen for a denial. A denial that, quite shockingly, was replaced by a severe blushing that showed through her fur and an obvious wish to disappear. Misto spun his head back around to Macavity and gawked upon the sudden revelation and the red tom stared back at him with a look as if to say 'please don't be angry'.

"Everlasting Cat!" Misto blurted in disbelief. That seemed to be the emotion everyone expressed at that moment as all eyes went back and forth between the red tom and the newly disgraced queen.

Rumpleteazer's usual cocky and confident demeanour was lost as she felt the other cats' burning judgement land on her fur and she startled when her twin began sputtering,

"Teazer! You didn't!"

The queen began to raise her head but couldn't make herself meet his gaze. Instead she kept her eyes to the floor and spoke quietly in her cockney twang,

"It was only once. And he was really…well…like Bomba said…charming"

"B-…but…when?" the calico tom managed to say.

"A few months ago."

"Did he force you to?"

"No, no, no! He just…"

"Seduced you?" Misto asked with a firmer, angrier voice before turning his head back to the red tom who was even now having trouble processing everything that was coming to light. The den was silent until Mungojerrie groaned, flopped to the floor with his head in his paws and moaned,

"Oh…bloody hell!"

He continued to whimper quietly to himself saying things such as 'My sister. My own sister…' and 'Why me, Everlasting Cat? Why my sister?'

"Go on, Munk" Misto said drawing the focus back to his story.

"Well, Misto, as I was saying, Bomba knew briefly but that's beside the point. I told them all what was happening and they all went ballistic. They couldn't believe what Macavity had been doing and they went after him. When they got to him it was Demeter's sister who really laid into that creep. It was she he'd duped the most because that poor, sweet cat had actually thought he loved her"

"She was special to me" Macavity said gravely. Misto looked back at him with a strange, mixed sensation of renewed shock and also hurt. He thought Macavity had never loved anyone aside from him and it hurt him to think that he wasn't the first cat to have really known his true affections.

"She was" he carried on and then turned to his black and white tom, "but not like you Misto. She was special but not like you. I love you"

Misto didn't know what to believe and remained silent as Munk carried on,

"She blew up and started attacking him. She was so angry and betrayed she just couldn't stop herself. The whole tribe was drawn out by the noise and everyone watched as everything was revealed. Anyway, that's when it all got bad. You see, Misto, Macavity never cared for anyone but himself"

"Fuck you, Munk!" Macavity said but this time not shocking Misto with his language. The poor tom, it seemed, couldn't be any more shocked.

"He never cared and had no mercy for anyone. Instead of making everything right or letting someone stop her he decided to punish her for going against him."

"That's not true!" Macavity yelled.

"Without a word of warning he set her on fire and watched her writhe in agony as she burned to death. It was all over in moments but he still made that wonderful, beautiful queen scream and roll around in tremendous pain as he killed her."

"You're wrong!"

"He stood and watched her burn to death, Misto! He is so evil that he made her die for reacting when she found out he'd tricked her to use her for his own selfish pleasure!"

"Shut up!"

"She thought he loved her and he made her die for it! He's a wicked cat!"

"Just shut up!" Macavity screamed, finally losing it and throwing himself at Munk. With barely an inch to go before flying into him he found himself shooting backwards in a bright, white light and crashing into the wall of the den. When he looked up he saw Misto staring down and breathing heavily, each breath shaking from an angry, hurt sob as he tried and failed to fight back tears.

"Misto…" he said scratchily as he fought the dizziness in his head.

"Shh!" the black and white tom said sharply. There was silence as he stood for a moment, then stiffly stepped over to his supposed lover and slowly crouched in front of him. From there Macavity could see the unbelievable hurt in his eyes after hearing what Munk had said to him and couldn't believe what had just unfolded in the den. With a sob Misto simply said,

"Is it true?"

Macavity stared back at him jolted by the whole situation. He could barely think of words to describe how mixed up the truth was with Munk's version of the story and could only breath one word, "No" before grabbing Misto in his arms and disappearing with him in puff of smoke.

* * *

On a damp, dim street corner a short distance from the junkyard nothing moved aside from a few fallen leaves that were gently picked up in the wind. Suddenly there was a flash and two toms were deposited on the pavement disturbing the stillness that had existed before they arrived. The red tom clutched firmly to the black and white tom he had in his paws and as soon as the latter realised where he was he attempted to struggle free from the former's grip.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Misto cried as he struggled to free himself from the murderer he was latched to. Macavity just held on and pulled him up as he got to his paws before trying to speak.

"Misto, please! Just listen to me!"

"Let me go! I can't believe you didn't tell me any of this!"

"I wanted to, Misto! I really did! I just couldn't because it was too painful!"

"Too painful? For you? How could it be?"

"Because it wasn't how Munk put it! He got it so wrong!"

Misto placed his paws on top of Macavity's and with as strong a grip as he could manage succeeded in wrenching them from his body and stepping back.

"Did you kill that queen?"

Macavity took a breath and tried to think of how to explain before Misto spoke again,

"Did you?"

Knowing it would be unwise to pause for too long he spoke unprepared,

"Yes, but-"

"Then how is it wrong?"

"Because Munk is a jealous, lying bastard that would sooner believe the story he made up than admit he was never good enough to have Demeter when I could"

"And that too!" Misto yelled in a constricted, emotional voice making it come out higher than he had wanted, "Why didn't you tell me about that? You've had sex with all the queens in the tribe! And who knows how many toms!"

"Not all the queens… And far fewer toms…"

"It doesn't matter. The point is you never told me!"

"I know. I know and I'm sorry. I should have done but I just couldn't"

"Why not?"

"Because I didn't want to put a stain on what we had. It was too perfect!"

"Clearly not perfect enough" Misto said angrily whilst fighting back the hurt inside him that wanted to push its way out.

Macavity sighed,

"I'm sorry, Misto. I wish I had told you all of this sooner instead of you having to hear it all from Munk"

"Don't blame it on him! At least he was honest!"

"He was not! He lied to you Misto! I swear!"

"Then what's the truth?"

"Listen and I'll tell you"

"Go on then" said Misto plopping himself down and staring up at the bigger tom who looked unfittingly nervous. Gently he placed himself down in front of Misto and sighed before attempting to tell his side of the story.

"Okay, well, the truth is that the first part of the story Munk told you is all true. Back then I did take who I wanted and did what I want with them without caring whether I hurt them or not. I had this…this power over cats that just seemed to make them melt when I spoke to them and then I could do whatever I wanted. And I suppose I did. That was, all apart from one queen, Athena"

Misto's angry expression cracked when he said that name. He knew instantly that it must have been Demeter's sister – the queen whom Macavity had adored before him. It became more real at that point, the moment when she was given a name. It made Misto feel uncomfortable and upset and he wasn't sure how much he could handle. Still, the red tom continued,

"I won't lie, she certainly was special. More special than the others. I didn't love her though. I didn't love anyone. Up until you I never thought I would love anyone and still, you proved me wrong"

Misto didn't know how to feel. What was he supposed to believe now? Everything had been mixed up and he just didn't know what to do. Without speaking he simply sat there and waited for the red tom to carry on.

"Anyway, all of that carried on until Munk decided to tell them all about what was happening and they did get angry after that. It's understandable, I suppose. I did trick them in order to sleep with them and the truth is I didn't really care. That is, I didn't until what happened next."

Macavity reached forward and took Misto's paws which the black and white tom let him have reluctantly. Squeezing them lightly he encouraged Misto to look up into his eyes and in them he found the deepest sense of assurance he'd ever seen.

"Misto, this is the part I genuinely regret but above all else you have to know that what I'm about to tell you is the honest truth. I swear it by the Everlasting Cat."

Once again Misto didn't speak. He was still lost in a sea of confusion and just continued to stare into those sharp green eyes.

"It's true that Athena was the angriest out of all of them. I had told her I loved her and she took it very badly. So badly that she exploded in a fit of fury. She started to attack me. Claws, teeth, she threw everything she had at me and all I could do was try to defend myself. What I let happen next was awful and I've regretted it for years because it led to me being exiled. I so wish I could take it all back but something like this is…well, when it's done, it's done"

"That's when you killed her?" Misto asked quietly with a cold sensation filling him.

Macavity sighed and let his eyes drop,

"Yes"

Misto felt numb. It felt so strange to hear all of what Macavity was telling him. He'd never imagined he'd ever have to sit through such a mess of sadness and horror. It made him wish he could be somewhere else but even then he knew the only place he really felt safe was in Macavity's arms. That was the cat he was at odds with at that moment and so it only felt worse.

There was a long pause before the red tom gathered his strength together and spoke once again,

"I was getting angry that she just kept coming at me. I yelled at her and told her to stop but she just kept going. I couldn't hit back because…well, she was a queen. I was still getting so frustrated though and then…that's when it all happened"

"What?" asked Misto nervously

"I flew off the handle. I decided I couldn't take any more and threw her off with magic but I…I was so angry that it came out too strongly and…well…oh Everlasting Cat…"

Macavity cut short his story and clasped his paws over his face as the shame of the memory filled him up and disgraced him in front of his new lover. He hated that he had to do this. In truth he'd never wanted to do it. He had hoped that maybe it was a part of his history that Misto never would have had to have known. In that case Misto would know him as the cat he really was, not the cat he'd allowed himself to be in the past. He'd hoped the past was dead and buried but, as always, it followed him and was now spilled out for Misto to see. His magnificent image was ruined in the sight of the cat he loved and he had no idea if he would ever be able to rebuild it.

Misto watched as Macavity struggled with his inner turmoil. He was angry with him for not telling him everything he'd heard from Munk earlier but also felt sorry for the tom he loved looking so frustrated and crestfallen. Above all he loved him and didn't want to see him looking like he was but he just didn't know what he was supposed to do in this situation. Perhaps it wasn't the best thing to do at that moment but just as before he sat there silently and did nothing until Macavity began speaking again. Maybe he should have tried to comfort him or encouraged him to continue but he didn't and so Macavity had to press on alone.

"The magic set her fur on fire" Macavity struggled to say. "And I suppose my anger must have…accelerated it or something because in a second she was completely covered in flames and before I could do anything she…she was dead. She'd burned to death and…I made it happen"

Then there was silence. Neither one of them knew how long they sat there for but it must have been a good few minutes before anything else happened. Macavity felt such incredible guilt and shame that he just couldn't speak anymore and Misto simply didn't know how to process how real it was that Macavity had killed someone. A queen. A jellicle. Sure, he'd heard stories about Macavity killing cats before but he had never known whether to believe them. Even when he'd started secretly seeing Macavity he had wondered if what he was doing was safe but over time that just didn't seem to matter and Misto had simply supposed that the stories must have been untrue. Macavity had seemed so magnificent and dignified that he had dismissed the stories about him but could he still do that knowing what he now knew? Still they sat and there it was. Macavity was indeed capable of killing cats, albeit accidentally in this case but knowing that he could do it made the smaller tom wonder if he had indeed killed others and if so, were those times intentional? It was all just so confusing and scary and it was too much for a tom like him to handle. He was the small, innocent, magic cat that everyone loved even if they did think he was strange. He'd never been faced with such a dilemma and it was all so alien to him.

Was he being silly though? Taking a moment to think through the core information he began to wonder if he could really make the mess they were all in such a huge problem for himself – at least in terms of their relationship. Regardless of the circumstances he'd always wondered if his lover had killed and it had never seemed to be such a deal breaker – as strange as that sounded. It seemed to be just an air of mystery about him and not something he'd ever given too much thought to. He couldn't deny that knowing he actually was a killer was hugely unsettling but in this case it did seem like an accident. Maybe it wasn't murder. Maybe it was just a terrible accident for which Macavity wasn't really to blame. He didn't know. The only thing he could ask himself was whether he could truly hold this against him and whether or not he wanted to lose him over it.

After he'd thought about it for a minute he didn't feel as if he could. He believed the red tom's story over Munk's - after all, how could he not? He loved him and had to believe him. Sure, it did seem Macavity had withheld the truth at certain points in their relationship but he hadn't lied. That seemed to be the important thing here. Macavity had never actually lied to him and that was one of the reasons he trusted him so much. Okay, keeping the whole truth about his past from him wasn't good but he'd never fabricated any of what he'd told him – at least, it didn't seem like he had – and Misto didn't feel he could hold that against him either.

What, then, was he to do now? He wasn't all that angry with Macavity anymore but he didn't feel entirely comfortable going back to how things were. Even if he had wanted to he couldn't because of the situation back in the junkyard. Things were never going to be the same again and he was worried about what would happen now. He didn't want to lose his Macavity but neither did he want to have to go against his tribe.

Right now, though, he didn't care. Coming back to reality he focused on the tom in front of him who he could now see was in total and utter dismay and even though Misto wasn't skilled with reading minds he didn't need to be able to in order to see that Macavity was feeling dreadful. He didn't like seeing his usually so confidant, powerful tom so downtrodden and sad and it pained him to experience it. Macavity had always been so strong and had looked after him when he was not feeling top notch. He'd always been calm and kind and knew exactly what to do for Misto when he was down. Now though it seemed it was Misto's turn to be those things for him. He hoped he could, he really did.

"Macavity…" he said reaching his paw out and placing it on the other's knee. The big tom looked up slowly wondering what he was going to be met with and cautiously met his love's eyes waiting for whatever was coming.

Misto just stared into them. They seemed dimmer in some way, or at least not as striking as usual. It seemed something had been lost now that his reputation was damaged. He felt so bad for his tom and wished he could make it all better. He wanted to go back and undo all of it. The truth was, though, that he couldn't and so he simply had to pick up the pieces of what was left. Considering his options, to Misto it seemed that only one powerful gesture could start to mend a situation like this.

Without waiting any longer, Misto reached out and took his lover's face in his paws. Quickly he leaned forward and pressed his lips against the red tom's and snaked his arms around his neck ever so lovingly. That was just it. He loved this tom he was kissing and wanted to be with him despite all of the horror in his past. They loved each other and love transcended all other trials.

After a moment he pulled his lips away and placed his head on Macavity's shoulder holding him in a gentle hug. Macavity was surprised. He hadn't expected Misto to do that and he certainly didn't think he deserved it. He had expected Misto to tell him off, yell at him or tell him he never wanted to see him again. Instead here they were hugging and kissing and simply being with each other like they had been before. It was mad but it was happening and as soon as Macavity had a moment to think he forced all of the mess they'd fallen into aside and hugged Misto back as tightly as he could. He loved this tom so much and he felt so honoured to be loved by him.

"It doesn't matter" Misto eventually whispered into his lover's ear.

"What?" the red tom whispered back.

"I said it doesn't matter. I don't care what you've done, I just want you. I don't want things to be different, I want you like I had you before. Whatever happens now I just want you and I to be the same because I love you"

Macavity smiled weakly but sincerely and kissed Misto through his fur.

"I love you too, Misto. I love you so very, very much"

The two remained seated on the cold pavement for a while until Misto eventually climbed into Macavity lap. Together they simply sat there holding one another silently mending all of the day's aggravation that had befallen them as the cold autumn air drew in around them.

* * *

In the junkyard, things were not good. There was a bitter sense of anger and revulsion in the air perpetuated by Munk who seemed to be radiating hatred as he divided his time between stomping around in a rage and trying to draw Demeter's emotions back together. She had been despondent and nearly inconsolable since Macavity had disappeared with Misto and since Bomba was drifting in her own little world of confusion due to her mixed feelings towards seeing Macavity again it fell solely on Munk to try and help his mate.

He had never been particularly good in these situations and was clearly distracted. Still, he eventually settled with Demeter and rocked her gently as she wept and mumbled short strings of words about being right all along. Seeing Macavity again had truly frightened her and brought back all of the pain she'd gone through from seeing her sister burn to death – not to mention the emotional turmoil she'd had to endure from finding out she'd been played for an absolute fool by the cat she thought had loved her. In her mind she could see the flames as if they were right in front of her and the memory of the awful smell of burning fur and flesh haunted her too. It made her feel sick and dizzy and she just wished she could escape it all.

Nearby, Rumpleteazer bore a quite different set of emotions. Being revealed as one of Macavity's quick flings was quite embarrassing to say the least and were it not for the stern look she had received from Munk which seemed to say 'I'll deal with you later' she most certainly would have forgotten it and concentrated on slapping her brother out of his reviled delirium. Mungojerrie was still slumped on the floor rocking gently and trying to find a happier place in his imagination. He had never even supposed his own sister might have succumbed to the devious temptations of his employer, but there it was. She had and now that he thought about it he could see times in the past when she had been quite jittery around the bigger tom – likely the result of a recent clandestine romp. It made him feel so incredibly awkward and it didn't seem like it was something he would get over soon. Needless to say he wouldn't be looking either of them in the eye for an even longer time.

Jemima and Victoria had slunk off unnoticed once Misto and Macavity had left. Currently they could be found hidden away by the junkyard fence trying to figure out how they felt. Misto had attempted to introduce them all just before Munk had burst in and before they'd heard Munk's story it had seemed as if Macavity wasn't as bad as they all said. Now they were back where they had started and didn't know what opinion to have of him. Was he the suave, kind gentletom Misto had professed or was that just a façade? Alone they discussed their dilemma but as time went on it seemed they accomplished nothing more than flip-flopping between wanting the best for Misto and fearing for his safety while he was alone with a killer.

Hours passed before any kind of coherency returned to the junkyard life of the day and during that time the story of Macavity's appearance and kidnap of Misto reached everyone. The air became tense as those not in the den at the time of it all unfolding gathered in the central clearing and waited to hear anything new. Alonzo did his best to keep an eye on things but the excitement and fear of it all seemed to set the kittens off and provide more than any one wrangler could handle. Chaos was beginning to ensue as time passed and when Munk finally did emerge from Misto's den he was in no mood to deal with it. He'd formulated a plan and was ready to put it into action.

Gruffly calling his younger brother over he mumbled to him something that was inaudible to everyone else. Tugger seemed to protest over whatever Munk had said to him but the stern and almost violent berating that followed forcefully sent him on his way out of the junkyard – albeit moodily. Munk watched the leopard-spotted tom until he disappeared from view and then turned his attention to the legion of eyes upon him from around the clearing. Without saying anything he returned to Misto's den to remove his mate to their own a few moments later. There he sat with her in silence thinking through how he was going to make work what he had planned and decided that no matter what it took he would make it so. He would wrench Misto from Macavity whether he wanted it or not – after all it was for his own good. No matter how old he got it always seemed he'd be a silly little kitten that needed minding and Munk was going to make sure he was never let out of sight again.

* * *

Night was drawing in earlier and earlier now that autumn was well under way and the cold air chilled Misto as he stood in a garden looking up at a trellis from which his lover hung.

Macavity had really wanted to cheer Misto up and had thought this might be the best place to bring him. It was the garden where he routinely purloined the roses he regularly gave to the smaller tom and he thought it would be nice for the smaller tom to go back to the place Macavity had first watched him enjoy them. That being said it seemed that now September had passed the last roses were just about to surrender to the autumn and it would be tough to find one as perfect as the black and white tom in Macavity's eyes. Still, he was in luck and after pushing some leaves aside and rummaging around at the top of the trellis Macavity found the very last rose that was still blooming. Effortlessly he struck it from its stem, jumped down to the ground and presented it to the smaller tom with a warm, loving smile.

Misto reached out and took the rose, delicately breathed in its scent and then clutched it tightly before looking back to the red tom. He smiled gently back and softly said "Thank you" before looking back down at the creamy white petals at the end of the stem in his paw.

It made Macavity smile to see his Misto being so like himself – if at least for just that moment. The smaller tom had certainly had a trying day and still he wished he could go back and change things. Even so, he was a logical cat and wasn't about to let wishes and dreams get in the way of reality. He had to move forward and he was going to take Misto with him.

"You're welcome, darling" the red tom began, "So, I suppose we should be going home soon"

"Yes, I suppose"

"I assume you'll be staying with me tonight"

Misto paused for a second before looking up and replying,

"Actually, I should really see how things are at the junkyard. I'm sure Victoria and Jemima are worried about where I've been. As for Munk, well, I suppose it would be better to face him sooner rather than later"

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" the red tom said warily.

"I think so. Besides, what can he do? Ground me? He'd not my dad"

Macavity chuckled, "I suppose not. But still, do you think tonight is the best time to go back? Perhaps waiting until tomorrow would be better just so things can cool down"

"No, no. As I said, Victoria and Jemima will be wondering where I am"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Now it's my turn to ask if you think that's a good idea?"

"Well, I just don't want to…leave you alone…what with everything that's gone on. I want you to be safe"

"I will be. I don't think it's gotten to the point where I'll be hung, drawn and quartered just yet. The worst they can do is give me a real telling off"

Macavity wasn't sure. He didn't want to leave his tom alone after everything that happened but it did seem Misto was making sense. Besides it wasn't as if his moron brother would stop him from seeing his Misto if he wanted to. He knew how to get around that fussy idiot and so perhaps it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

"Alright. Come on then" he said putting his arm around Misto and beginning to walk him home.

* * *

A little while later with the sun a little more out of sight behind the horizon the two toms arrived on a corner near the entrance to the junkyard and stopped to look at one another.

"Now, if there's any trouble, Misto, just come straight to me, alright?" Macavity said to his lover.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll be fine"

"Are you sure you won't reconsider? Just to give me peace of mind?"

"Why? You really care about me that much?" Misto joked but only eliciting a loving smile from the bigger tom.

"More than you know" he said before leaning down and kissing him softly on the lips. It was such a sweet kiss that Misto nearly dropped his rose and once again he wondered what kind of incredible power such a simple action from his tom had over him. It truly was remarkable what a simple brush of his lips could do.

"I think I do" the smaller tom said as they parted and drew near to give him a hug. The two stood there for a few minutes in each other's arms before Misto pulled away and smiled up at Macavity.

"Well, here I go. Wish me luck" the black and white tom said before turning and making his way towards the entrance to the junkyard.

"Good luck" called the bigger tom who watched Misto until he disappeared around the corner and out of sight. He stood there for a moment wondering if he had just made a big mistake in letting Misto go back alone. Still, he fought the urge to sprint after him and pull him away. After all Misto wasn't stupid. He could handle himself and it was certainly true that whatever was waiting for him it wouldn't cause him any harm.

With a stiff sigh Macavity turned his back and rigidly walked away as the setting autumn sun cast a long, frightening shadow behind him. Perhaps if he'd seen its sinisterness he might have taken it as an omen to what was about to happen to Misto. Then again, how could he have known?

* * *

Feeling ironically like a scolded puppy, Misto slowly plodded back into the junkyard with his eyes down and hoping by some miracle that he could simply get through without being berated despite all eyes silently locking themselves onto him. Of course, a meteorite falling out of the sky and hitting him on the head would have been more likely and, like a thunderclap, Munk's voice shot across the junkyard just as Misto reached the middle of the clearing. Nervously Misto turned his head in the direction from which it had come and, with an aura as black as coal, Munk flicked his head to the side indicating for Misto to go into his den.

The small tom stood there for a moment weighing up his options. If he disobeyed then it would only be prolonging his fate. If he went over there and tried to plead his case he'd just be shot down. It was a sticky situation and, once again, not one Misto felt he was qualified to deal with.

As a compromise he eventually turned his body and slowly made his way over to the bigger tom who quickly shepherded him inside his den. Misto kept his eyes fixed to the floor as he was shut away and nervously twiddled the rose in his paws as he waited for the monumental telling off he was about to receive.

When several long, silent moments had passed he felt the weight of the judgement that filled the room begin to crush him and so, with a deep breath, he raised his head to look at the cats he could sense were standing around him. Who he saw he most certainly did not expect.

"Dad?" Misto said as he laid eyes on a rotund, pompous individual a short distance in front of him.

"Mistoffelees" was all that came from the clearly annoyed Bustopher Jones.

Next to his father Misto saw Old Deuteronomy who had the same disappointed, judgemental look as the stout cat next to him. He'd never supposed the situation would have escalated to a point where Munk would not only summon the  
Jellicle leader but his father as well. With a gulp, the small tom braced himself for the disciplinary storm he was sure he was about to receive.

Surprisingly, it didn't come.

"Mistoffelees, it has been decided that you and your sister from now on will live with me in St. James" said Bustopher surprisingly calmly but not without a strong sound of iron will in his voice.

Misto woke up at that. What did his dad just say? He was going where?

"Wha-?" the smaller tom began before he was cut off.

"It's not open to discussion Mistoffelees. I thought it must have been a joke when I first heard that you'd gone gallivanting around with a crazed, murderous lunatic but it seems it was the truth. In light of that it has been decided you'll be kept away from…that cat…and I will hear no argument out of you. Is that clear?"

Misto was stunned. What was happening? He didn't want to leave. He couldn't leave. This was his home. He'd lived here for most of his life and had never wanted to go back to living in St. James like when he was a kitten. It just wasn't him and above all, how would Macavity find him?

"But dad!" he began as he tried to get a word in.

"No buts, Mistoffelees! You're coming and that's that. Your sister is ready to go and so, if there's nothing else, we'll be going"

"But I don't want to! Won't you just listen to my side of it?"

"We're going now! Do not cross me, Mistoffelees"

Misto stood there with a thousand things flying through his head. What was happening? Where was he going? Why was he going there? When was this decided? How would Macavity find him? It made him angry that he hadn't even been spoken to before it all became concrete and finding his courage from earlier he stomped his paw and defiantly said,

"No!"

Unfortunately for Misto it seemed his unwillingness to do as he was told had been planned for and before he knew what was going on he felt something being thrown over his head, pulled down to his paws and then pulled aside knocking him to the ground. In an instant he realised he'd been put into a sack and just as the strings at the end were pulled tight and he was dragged away Misto put up the most violent fight of his life.

He kicked, he screamed but as he felt himself being pulled outside and down to the junkyard floor he began to realise that he was going whether he liked it or not.

As Munk began to drag the sack containing Misto behind Bustopher in the lead with Victoria in tow he felt a small, sly smile grace his face. If his brother thought he was going to get his way this time then he was sorely mistaken. Macavity may have had the upper paw before but now it was Munk's turn to call the shots. Justice would be served and to the silver tabby it felt simply fantastic.

Misto continued to fight in darkness as he was pulled along the cold ground but he'd soon find it was no use. Still, he fought valiantly all the while he was held in that sack until finally the marching cats arrived at Bustopher's home in St. James where Misto had spent most of his kittenhood. What was to come was surely not going to be a high point in the young tom's suddenly uprooted life.

**Well, there it is. I hope you all liked it. Reviews are greatly appreciated if you have the time and once again I'm sorry this took so long. I should probably apologize now for however long the next chapter may take but with any luck it won't be as long as last time. Who knows?**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter. **


End file.
